Home Sweet Home: A Balamb Beginning
by Lastiel
Summary: OOOOOKKKK, i'm getting tired of waiting for reviews so i'm just gonna post the last three chapters now so i can get the second 1 ready./ it's almost done so it should be up shortly. ~OcanGurl
1. Home Sweet Home

**Home Sweet home**

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A/N: Re-edited!!!!!! Should be a lot better then when I first wrote it spelling and grammar wise. And this time I will not 4get to out up chapter 9. I promise!!!! But yeah. HSH2 will be up ASAP and I have a good beta reader/ editor so it should be a hit. And I'm striving for five reviews per chapter when I post them to make sure people actually read it (and review,) and don't be like me. I have a habit of reading a kick @$$ story then not reviewing so 9 have a little fic hunt to do today anyways in the words of my bestfriendforever Peace out!! ~Sam****

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I really don't want to go to Balamb Garden, but mom says it's the best thing for me if I want to get anywhere in life. But I really, really don' t want to go, I'll have to leave behind my friends, family and my parrot Zoro. I've never left her before and now I'll be gone all the time. I hate this stupid garden. 

Oh by the way my name is Alzera, don't ask me who made up a name like that 'cause I don't know, but my mom says she read it and she thinks it's "Original". So original that no one likes it or ever uses it. That's why my nick name is Alex_. _

Ah well, I'm 15 with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes, A.K.A. "The red head". Eh, I've gotten use to it. But what I haven't gotten use to is the SeeD female uniforms! There the shortest things I've ever seen! Since I'm taking the SeeD test a week after I get there, they wanted to know my size. They didn't have any of the ones in my size that go down to just above your knees, so they expect me to wear those ugly mini skirts. There's no freedom in those things and I never cross my legs so my mom convinced them to let me where a guy uniform, (I love her!). And it fit too! Well no surprise there, I am tall for my age. It's not everyday u see a 5'10 and a half 15 year old girl walking by.

So right now I'm sticking my head out the window of the vehicle of doom being driven to a floating school......yay how fun...

"Were pulling up to the garden now hun so put on a happy face. You don't want to make a bad first impression ok?" my mother said, looking all happy and cheery. Yuck I hate doing that, if I don't feel happy I'm not going to look it.

The garden was pretty big I guess, but I didn't want to think about it. Oh jeez! I just remembered! I'm gonna hafta share a dorm 'till the test! No! My freedom has officially been given to the garden by my ever so generous mother. 

We started into the Garden from the parking lot.....a few more steps 'till I see my home sweet home for the next like seven years or whatever of my life.

Opening the door.........walking through........Wow! This place is huge! But why do they have a moat in it? Probably to remind people what the real outside looks like, haha. I think I just smiled for the first time since I found out that I was coming here.

We headed to the front of the garden to get to the elevator. I had to check in with Cid. At least, I think that's his name. Anyways he's the headmaster of the garden. 

I looked into the eyes of everyone that passed by and glared to see their expressions, I love doing that.

So we went up to the whatever-eth floor, I wasn't paying attention, to Cid's office. I have a feeling I'll be seeing him a lot this year.

"Oh hello come, sit down," he said to us as I walked in. My mom insisted on knocking but if he's expecting us then he shouldn't be too deep in thought.

"So you're Alzera, interesting name..."

"Alex" I said cutting him off sharply "Not Alzera, Alex"

"Oh," he seemed nice about my rudeness, probably handles it all the time. "Ok then Alex, so I hear you don't like our SeeD female uniforms. I usually don't do this but your mom says that being here will probably help your social skills and you won't loosen up if you're not comfortable with your surroundings,"

"Yeah......so when can I go to my dorm? I wanna sleep." I said, looking as unimpressed as I could so he would hurry up

"Well you can't sleep yet. You have to go to class. But you will get your dorm after all your classes ok?" he seems nice but I still didn't want to be here

"Sure, whatever, and can I take my SeeD test tomorrow? I really don't want to share, I'm possessive and don't really want to insult anybody......yet" I said with a smirk.

"Alex! Stop this now, I know you don't want to be here but you can at least be nice to new people!" my mom yelled. I didn't even flinch. I'm good at this.

"Ms Kessler it's ok, as you said she probably just needs to get to know her new surrounding." Cid wasn't as dumb as he looked, he was catching on to my hints. "Well I won't keep her from her classes, I'll bring her to her first class and you are free to look around the garden Ms Kessler." Yay! I can leave finally.

Mom said her good byes and I said my ciaos, and I was led to my first class.

"Excuse me Quistis?" Cid asked some girl. I guess I wasn't looking. "Your new student has arrived." I walked into the class looking bored, which I was, but I made an extra effort to look it. "Quistis, Class this is Alze....."

"Alex," I quickly cut in before he said my other name 

"Oh right, Alex," he quickly corrected himself

"Hello Alex, you can sit, um...............over there at the back beside Squall." Quistis said, looking at the very back row

"Well then I'll be off," Cid left the room

I walked to the back of the room where Quistis pointed to. And, just my luck, I was sitting beside a biker. Yay this should be fun. Ok this "Hot shot" was wearing tight black pants, a white shirt a black leather coat with a fur trim that was way too small looking. The thing came up past his bellybutton! And oh yeah get this, three belts, one where it's suppose to be and two, as decoration I guess, around his ass. He looked me over and I rolled my eyes at him.

I didn't really pay attention in class I was trying to ignore the feeling of a million pairs of eyes all on me so I doodled.

Nothing much happened the rest of the day accept running into this klutz.....

'Yay I get to meet my dorm mate. Great, another person to tell off, eh there's no harm in practising' I thought. 

I saw her turn the corner but thought nothing of it 'cause**_ normal people watch where there going._**

So I'm just walking, looking at my doodles and complementing them for a sec, when........

"Ahh!" I guess she saw me just before she crashed into me. 

"Ahhh!" I agreed. I musta flew a couple a feet cause that's where my papers and books were, a few feet ahead of me.

"Watch where you're going!" I yelled. Just what I need to not draw attention to myself, this day was working out perfectly.

"I'm so sorry but I hafta go!" and she took off.

I hadn't realized this but I had been caught by a pair of strong arms, just before I hit the tiled floor.

"Are you ok?" he asked helping me up, "Selphie hit you pretty hard."

"You think **_that is gonna hurt me? Ha! Sorry it's just look at her, all preppy and shit." I said glaring at her as she turned a corner._**

"Haha, true but she's nice when you get to know her."

"Sure," I mumbled and turned to see my saviour. Or, um......he **_saved me from a fall........well what would you call it?_**

Anyways he had greeny/ bluish eyes, it was hard to tell and I didn't want to gawk. He had a cowboy hat on.......actually he had the whole cowboy shebang on, the hat the pant-like things that aren't pants cause you hafta were pants underneath, he had on a long coat and long reddish hair tied up in a ponytail. 

"Hi," he said, "I'm Irvine" and he held out a hand.

"Hi" I returned. I didn't want to shake his hand, it's not something I do, but I did to seem some what nice "I'm Alex." I quickly turned around to pick up my books.

I bent down and got them but the whole time it felt like he was checking me out. I got up just as fast and looked at him.

"So, you looked lost, are you new?" he asked smiling

"Yeah as a matter of fact I am." Trying to figure out what he was up to.

"I can show you around if you want. Got some spare time on my hands, figure I might as well do somethin' with it." 

"I guess...."I said still trying to figure him out, "I need to find my dorm, do you know where this it?" I asked handing him a piece of paper

"Yeah sure, follow me."

We walked around a bit to some place, I wasn't really paying attention, I never do. But I'll eventually find my way around this place.

"Here we are, you have your key?" he asked, looking directly at me

"Yeah, um......" I said feeling my pockets "Ah right here." I unlocked the door

"So.........this is the dorm?" I asked, trying not to look impressed

"Yup, until you pass the test." he looked at the dorm as if it were an old memory.

"Who's taking you out for the test?"

"Um I don't know.....can you recommend anyone that won't gawk at me like I have three heads?" I didn't know him at all but I felt comfortable around him

"Haha! Sure lots of people, I can take you if you want......"

"Doesn't matter to me........I just want to pass the test." I was hungry and wanted to eat

"Cool, well I gotta go um see ya around?"

"Sure I guess" I wanted food!

"Ok bye" and he left

"Bye" I said and saw a piece of paper fall out of his pocket "You dropped this...." He couldn't hear.

I opened it and it read:

tomorrow come get me and I'll show you around room 148

-Irvine

So that's what happened so far but I am sooooooo hungry!

It took me like fifteen minutes to find the cafeteria but I was glad when I got there.

Hotdogs? That's it?! Eh, it's food isn't it? I took four. I was taking my tray to an empty table when some blond guy in a grey trench coat came up to me.

"Four hotdogs? A lil' piggish don't ya think?" he said with an evil smirk

Can't a girl eat in peace anymore? 

"What''s it to you?" I retorted rudely 

"You can't eat all the hotdogs" he started to take one but I was faster and kicked him in the shins

"Watch me." All I wanted to do was eat. There's no law forbidding it.

"Bitch" he yelled, pulling my hair, and I had to back up. He knocked the tray out of my hands! 

"Asshole!" this guy was a total jerk! So I punched him in the stomach. Nobody does that to me and gets away unharmed.

He was still crouched on the floor when I started to leave. 

I'll just pig out at breakfast. Then the floor was no longer beneath my feet, it was beneath my face. He tripped me! I was on my feet fast and was ready to punch his face in.

"FIGHT!" someone yelled

I was getting ready to punch him when someone really strong grabbed my wrists and held me so I couldn't punch him.

"Hit her Seifer, she can't move ya' know!" the guy holding me said

"Thanks Raijin" Seifer, the guy attacking me, said.

I was panicking! I couldn't punch him or kick him, someone had my legs too!

Seifer punched me in the stomach.

I let out a small cry in pain but looked at him as if I were untouched

"Oh so you think your all tough now do ya?" he said and punched me again in my eye. I bit my lip but stood straight.

"Well this one will get ya." He kicked me as hard as he could in the stomach, when I had my head down he jumped and landed, elbowing me in the back. The guy that held me up let me collapse and Seifer kicked me again and again while I was down.

The pain was unbearable, I sank my front teeth into my bottom lip to stop from crying. I never cried in public, never.

"Seifer!" a voice yelled. I didn't care who's, just that it made him stop.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Leave her alone!" my eyesight was blurry so I just shut my eyes. I heard a lot of yelling and yells of pain then someone picked me up and took me to a room. I could hear voices but I didn't want to look. I lost. Not only did I lose but I lost so bad I had to be carried back to wherever they were taking me. I am so ashamed of myself.

"What's her name again?" a guy said.

"Alex" said another. I was fading but I tried to stay awake.

"Alex? Alex can you open your eyes? Can you hear me?"

I tried to open my eyes an managed just a crack. I felt a cold sensation on my eye wound and sighed. A wet cloth to wipe away the blood. It felt so good. 

"I think she's ok, as in she's not going to have a concussion." the voice seemed so familiar.

"Alex? We're gonna clean up your wounds and then your gonna get some sleep ok?"

I opened my eyes to see two concerned faces looking down at me, one being the biker boy who I sat by in class this morning and the other was Irvine. He stopped that Seifer guy from killing me basically.

With my last ounce of strength I whispered, "Thank you" than fell into a deep sleep.


	2. See ya around……maybe

A/N: 5 reviews!!!!! I'm not really expecting it for every chapter just the first two or three, just so I know ppl are reading. Neways here it is…. Chapter two….

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**See ya around……maybe**

Waking up is weird. It's like a long blink, you fall asleep (Close your 

eyes) 

then wake up (Open your eyes). A long, long blink. Anyways, I 

opened my eyes  and 

looked around. A lot of white......the dorms weren't this white. I 

Quickly sat 

up to look around some more but couldn't concentrate on anything. 

Some one had 

stabbed me in the stomach....not really but it felt that way

"Ahhhhh!" it just came out as I fell back onto to bed. I hadn't 

wanted to 

scream. I just looked around some from the bed. Probably the 

infirmary? Oh yeah 

the fight....... when I get my hands on that lil' fucker I'm 

gonna..........

"Alex is everything ok?" some woman in white asked, running in, 

probably the 

doctor. Followed by...

"What happened?" and....

"Is everything ok?" all three of them looked at me with pitying eyes, 

Squall the 

biker man, the doctor, and Irvine. Actually Squall looked as if he 

couldn't care 

less, so I ignored him.

"Why am I here? I don't want to be here, I want to take my SeeD 

test." I hate it 

when people look directly at me, or just at me. I just hated being 

looked at period.

"You were injured last night in a fight with Seifer. Do you 

remember?" the 

doctor seemed to like hearing her self speak so I didn't cut her off.

"Yeah," instead I replied back with snappy answers. "I want to 

leave" I sat up 

and the pain returned, but since I didn't lie back down the pain was 

now more 

like someone twisting the knife while it was in my stomach. I 

closed my eyes 

tight and felt the tears welling up. Instead of crying I brushed them 

away and 

re-punctured my lip where I had last night. Ah blood, a familiar 

taste from 

previous times of biting my lip. I do that often.

"No, no, don't do that." Wow, someone cared what I did for once. 

My mom's just 

like 'your body, your choice' But being me I just ignored him too 

and stood up. I covered my

face with my 

hands and realized that pain came when I touched around my eye. 

Oh yeah, that ass 

wipe punched me in the eye too.

"I need to get changed an...and ready for class" I was stuttering. 

Why? Oh well, 

I'll just stumble around in this disoriented state that I'm in until I find 

my 

dorm.

I leaned on the wall for support and slowly started out of the room.

She said a some stuff that I couldn't understand ''cause I was still 

trying to 

make out the blurred objects in front of me.

"Irvine, I can tell that she's not going to stay here all day so will you 

watch 

her today?" now that I heard.

"Yeah sure," was he really going to spend all day with me? Cool! 

Wait why am I 

getting excited over this? It's just a guy I fell on yesterday.

"I'm going now," I left the room. I got halfway there when my legs 

gave way and 

I fell. The whole time they were shaking but.....yeah. I had left 

before Irvine 

and he went the other way around. And I think he turned the 

corner just as I 

fell. He jogged over to me and helped me the rest of the way to my 

dorm. I'm 

guessing that he knew that 'cause he didn't make a big fuss about 

it, or say 

much, 'till we got to my room.

~*~

The person who I shared a room wasn't there thank god. And I 

decided not to go 

to classes so we just sat on my bed and talked.

"So, how did the whole Seifer fight thing start?" He thought I 

started it, I 

could tell by his eyes. I can tell a lot of things by looking at peoples 

eyes. I 

took a deep breath

"I was hungry and took four hot dogs and he came up to me sayin' 

isn't that a 

bit much pig, or somethin'' like that and I'm like 'what's it to you' 

he's like 

'you can't eat all of them' and I'm like 'watch me' and he started to 

take one 

but I kicked him in the shins and he says 'bitch' as I pass him and 

pulls my 

hair back to him and knocked the tray outta my hands! And I'm like 

'asshole' and 

punched him in the stomach and tried to leave again and he 

tripped me and I 

tried to punch him again but some guy held me back and Seifer 

punched me but I 

didn't flinch so he did it again in my eyes and same, I didn't flinch 

so he 

kicked me really hard in the stomach and I curled up cause I 

couldn't breath and 

he elbowed me in the back. Then he kicked me some more while I 

was down and then 

you and Squall I think it was, came. "

Did I just say all that? Oh my god, I never say that much to anyone 

accept my 

parrot! Oh jeez now he's gonna think I'm a freak, but why do I 

care? I want to 

talk to Zoro!

"Interesting.........so what classes are you taking?" why did he just 

shrug it 

off?

"Um, I haven't decided yet. But I uh.......hear that there's a 

Gunblade class 

here that I'm so taking." Gunblade are so cool and I can do some 

fancy moves with 

them.

"Really? Well then you'll be in Squall's class, he's the Gunblade 

specialist in 

the school so he teaches it." Hotshot leather pants guy is a 

gunblade 

specialist?!

"Cool, what do you teach?" Probably rodeo, haha.

"I just became a SeeD a month or two ago. I don't teach anything."

"Cool" 

We talked for an hour or so about me, him the garden, Zoro, and 

then my 

internal clock (A.K.A. my stomach) told me that it was lunch time.

But what happened to Seifer? Is he gonna be in the cafeteria?

"What's up?" I guess Irvine saw the 'I don't want to go in there' look on my 

face as we approached the cafeteria.

"Um nothing" I got rid of that look fast

"I'm just gonna grab somethin and eat outside, not as much noise" 

Don't be there 

Seifer please, please, please, please, please.

~*~

Hotdogs? Again? Eh.

"Two please" I got my drink and hotdogs, and we started out and 

the whole time 

every pair of eyes was looking at me.

"Hahaha! Yeah I know!" Seifer was there. I could hear him close 

but we were 

leaving so it didn't bother me.

I saw him getting soup, but then I looked away

What I didn't see him was him heading in my direction, not looking 

where he was 

going until he walked into me and knocked the tray outta my hands 

again

"Watch where you're going!" I yelled, and all the talking stopped. 

The room was silent.

I knew he didn't mean to when I looked up angrily into his eyes, but 

I also knew 

he wasn't sorry for it either.

Irvine looked ready to step in if I needed it, he and I both knew that

 I was in 

no condition to fight.

"Don't think so," he laughed and looked over at a table where the 

guy who held me 

and some girl with grey hair were sitting.

I didn't even think, it was instinct what I did next. With my good foot I 

slammed it down on his and tipped his tray of soup onto his trench 

coat which 

absorbed the green pea soup quite quickly. 

"Ahhh!" it was hot so I can understand him yelling. I was happy 

and would have stared at him longer but Irvine dragged me out. He 

didn't say anything 'till we were outside.

"Ok," he said taking a deep breath, this should be interesting. "I 

don't wanna sound like a wuss cause I'm not, I'm a sharp shooter, 

but if you don't want your life to be a living hell wile your hear then I 

suggest not to mess with Seifer." 

I stared blankly at him, hot as he was, he was wrong. As my father 

always said: Never make the first move but if you ever are in a 

fight then hit the person twice as hard as they hit you, and never 

stop fighting till you can't stand up. You might not always win but 

they'll know that you will fight back.

Then he went off and became a Galbadian soldier and I've never 

heard from him since.

"If he wants to fight me then bring it on. I'm no wuss either." I was 

mad at him he was telling me not to be me! I am a rebel, I never 

surrender, I don't go around looking for fights but I'll never pass up 

a chance to be in one either.

"I just don't want to see you in the infirmary again in the state you 

were in 

last night." I can't believe this! Why does he care!? Nobody cares 

about me so why al of a sudden does he!? He's doing what my 

father did. Says he'll always be here, that I can count on him, trust 

him. Then when I need him the most he's gone. I'm not ever going 

though that again, I'd rather have no friends then to go through 

that.

"Why are you doing this?! Why are you pretending to care?!" I 

could feel tears on my face. I quickly wiped them away taking half 

my face with them I pressed so hard. Why do I get emotional when 

I'm around him? I started hitting my forehead really hard and 

bighting my lip. I didn't want to talk or think about that thing that 

just left me with a witch for a step mom.

"Don't do that" he took one of his gloved hands and held my wrist. 

just like that guy did when Seifer pounded on me, he was gonna l

et some one hurt me again!

"Tell me, what happened?" his voice was soft and comforting, but 

he didn't know me and would hurt me like everyone else did.

I could taste blood again.

"It helps if you tell people before you do anything that you'll regret" 

he lifted my chin with his finger so he could look into my eyes. My 

hand was still in his. Trapped so I couldn't defend myself.

"Nothing, it's nothing, I have to go........." I started to walk away, my 

limp almost gone but he held onto my wrist. Here it comes he's 

gonna hit me, he's gonna do it, he's gonna do it. I closed my eyes 

tightly

"If you ever need to let anything out......I'm always here." He let go.  

started at him for a sec or two then left to my dorm.

~*~

I stayed there the rest of the day and doodled. I thought of 

suicide 

and lightly dragged the switch blade across my wrists but decided 

to see what day 3 would bring. At least I'd wake up in my bed, 

sorta.

Today I was going to the training centre. I took out my new 

Gunblade my nanny sent me on rush delivery when she heard I 

was going to Balamb. But she made me promise not to open it till I 

was ready to use it, and I keep my promises. So I got the long box 

out from under my bed, took off the lid and removed the paper 

covering it. It lay there, shining, never been used and really sharp! 

I like sharp things hehehe.

I picked it up and looked it over very carefully. There was an 

engraving of a Dragon breathing fire on one side of it and like a 

mirror on the other side. Now I was complete. 

I looked closer at it and read the words that outlined the fire:

Alzera, keep this close, you never know when you need a 

reminder of your true family 

Love 

Nanny.

Also in the box was the belt that I'd wear everyday to keep my 

gunblade close.

I changed into girl clothes. When I was happy I wore girl clothes, 

when I wasn't I wore guy clothes. But yes, I was in a happy mood. I 

put on a tight purple tank top with really thin straps, and light green 

clam-diggers. My red hair was tied up in a ponytail and my feet 

were blessed with white boot-shoe things. The black belt that held 

my gunblade looked some what out of place but who the hell 

cared? 

I have a gunblade! 

I half jogged half ran to the training centre. I was gonna kill 

something! I stopped running/jogging when I got to then entrance. I 

slowly walked in looking everywhere for anything that moved. I 

was ordered not to fight t-rexsaurs until I was a SeeD so I only 

fought those little walking plant things.

Yeah, so I was walking along talking to myself, I do that a lot.

"But um......what happens if I do come across a t-rexsaurs? It's 

very fast and I can't outrun it. Um.........?" Brilliant Alex this is 

gonna look good on your file 'almost dies fighting a t-rexsaurs.'

"Shit" I am an idiot, then I heard something and drew my gunblade. 

Your gonna die, your gonna die, your gonna die, what an optimist 

you are. I heard it coming from behind. I didn't know what it was 

but I could block it. Within seconds I swung my gunblade over my 

head and blocked the attack on my back. I heard a clang so I 

assumed it was another gunblade person. I kept the gunblade 

linked with whatever had attacked as I turned around.

"Can't you just leave me alone! What the hell's your problem!" 

Seifer stared at me with fire in his piercing eyes.

"You soooo stained my coat with pea soup" he smirked an evil 

smirk I knew only too well. He took a swing at my face but I 

blocked it.

"And your point is? Oh and you should try not to let your opponent 

know your next move, it just makes it easer to block," I smiled at 

him sarcastically making fun of him, and he knew it.

"You think your good eh?" he asked as if talking to a beginner

 which I so was not.

"Yup" I twirled the gunblade around my fingers like people do with 

hand guns and smirked at him. It was heavy I'll admit, but with a lot 

of practice your fingers get stronger and hold the weight. Making 

fun of him was fun, and I didn't have to say a thing!

"I'm board of this little game, now if you'd excuse me I'm going to 

finish training."

As I started to leave, a monster that stood like 15 feet turned the 

Corner

"Shit!" as I turned to run in Seifer's direction another one came 

from that direction.

"Shit, shit! Were surrounded!" I was panicking, not only am I not 

suppose to fight t-rexsaurs, but two of them?! And I didn't have any 

magic on me accept a few cures. 

"Naw really"

"Shut up Seifer, do you have any Magic? I only have like 3 cures

 with me."

"I have nothing, I followed you in here to beat you up again." He 

was as freaked as I was, I don't even think that he's a SeeD yet 

but he's probably been hear a while.

"Um, um, um ha! We both charge the smaller one, you duck under 

it's legs and I'll stab it a few times, then I'll go under and we get the 

hell outta hear ok?" 

Hehehe my brilliant plan will probably get me killed but it was a 

plan wasn't it?

Seifer nodded

"ok one.....two....three!" I ran straight for it ready to kill, Seifer was 

ahead of me. All of a sudden he stopped and shoved me while I 

was running.

I hit hard but I knew his plan, the rexes go for the fallen prey and

 the other 

one gets away safe.

Shit.

"Fuck you Seifer!" he laughed at me as he ran and said:

"See ya around......maybe"

Ok, so here I was trying to fight two t-rexsaurs by myself with a 

gunblade and no magic. The bigger one lunged at me, jaws wide 

open, but I dodged just in time to be right in the path of the little 

one doing the same thing, but I rolled out of the way of that one. 

That went on for like ten more minutes and I dodged all of them 

barely.

"Fuck you! Leave me alone!" I yelled, dodging another attack. I got 

hit that time, it's razor sharp tooth caught my shoulder in a role. 

Man, I was sooooo tired! 

My legs felt like Jell-O as well as my arms, so much in my arms 

that I had to drop my gunblade. Around there is when I caught my 

foot on a root while doing a role and landed face first into the dirt 

path. Ok this is it, bye, bye Alex.

"Blind!" someone yelled "Blind!" I'm guessing that he blinded the 

rexes.

"You ok?" he asked as I was getting up

"Yeah but my gunblade, I hafta get it!" I ran to the fallen gunblade 

and put it away.

"Ok lets go!" I followed the blond around the dirt paths until we got 

back to the entrance.

"Fuck! I hate Seifer!" I punched the concrete wall with my bare 

hands. It hurt like hell but it took my mind off my slashed shoulder.

"Ouch, what did he do?" he was panting a lot

"I'm going in to train right? He followed me in to beat me up and 

then those two show up, I come up with a plan to escape, and it 

could have worked but Seifer tripped me. That distracted them and 

he got away scott free.....Fuck!" I did it again. With my other hand.

"He's been here like all his life and still hasn't become a SeeD, 

hehe" he seemed to be trying to cheer me up.......and it worked, I 

smiled at him.

"By the way, I'm Zell"


	3. Stupid Seifer...

Chapter three! Ok so I didn't get as many reviews as I planned for ch two but wateva so yeah anyway Zell is an actual character now! Lol NE ways I hope this doesn't go all weird and colemie like that last chapter. Ok, so review, review, REVIEW!!!

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Chapter 3 

"Zell? Uh.....hi. I'm Alex." Ok get a load of this. 'Zell' had the whole left side 

of his face tattooed and his bangs were spiked up. I guess he noticed the 

weird look on my face when I looked at the tattoo.

"Wah.....you don't like?" he put his hand up to his face trying not to crack a

 smile.

"Well, it's different" What!? Well it was, I didn't mean to sound rude but I 

mean who goes around tattooing their face? Well anyway.

"Eh, you'll get used to it. So I hear you're new......." 

"Does everybody know? Is there a big sign on me that says 'the new kid'?"

"Nah, I heard some new kid got in a fight with Seifer and then someone 

pointed you out.... not that hard to figure out." Oh my god.......he had a 

brain. Congratulations! Lets throw a big party for the one person that had a brain.

"Whatever. Excuse me, I hafta change." I guess he saw my shoulder, 

'cause he asked.

"You ok? Did Seifer do that?" 

"I wish, then I'd have another reason to want him dead. But no, it was the 

stupid rex, anyways, ciao" 

"See ya around, I also hear you put up a big fight with Seifer, find me later 

and I'll show you some more good moves."

"Whatever." Shower. I'd been sweating, rolling around in the dirt and I was 

bleeding. Shower definitely.

Oh this is nice! The hot water stung my cut at first but now.......oh now it's 

like a massage! Hot water feels soooooo nice on your back. I washed my 

hair then stood there bathing in the hot massage of beating water on my 

back.

Knock!

Oh jeez peoples, perfect timing. I got a towel and wrapped it around myself, 

then went to answer the door.

"Irvine?" Irvine was the rude person that made me get out of the shower? 

Whatever.

"Hi Alex, um, did I catch you at a bad time?" no wonder he asked, I had the 

towel wrapped around me I had to hold together with my hand.

"Um I was actually just getting out of the shower. Um you can come in if 

you don't mind waiting while I dry off and get changed...." I must have put 

him in the weirdest situation, I invited him in while I was getting out of the 

shower, and I hardly knew him.

"No prob." I let him then quickly changed into a sleeveless belly top and 

some shorts. I was still sorta happy.

"Ooooooo, nice gunblade. Nice and sharp." Haha, he liked sharp things too. 

What do people call the people who like sharp things? People who like fire 

are pyros but what are people who like sharp things? Whatever.

"Yeah, my nanny gave it to me." I'm guessing he forgot about what 

happened yesterday or he would have started talking about it.

I came out

"Ok so, what did you want?" I was probably all pruney but who isn't when 

you've been in the shower for like half an hour?

"Yeah....um I said that I'd show you around so that's what I'm hear for, and I 

have some people to introduce you too." People? Me? Um........... 

"Um.......people?"

"Yeah, all close friends of mine," I must have gave him a worried look with 

out knowing it

"What? Meeting people isn't that bad, come on, you'll like them, I promise." 

he held out a hand. Why does he act like he's known me for a long time? 

He just met me a few days ago. And he expected me to trust him just like 

that? Whatever.

I took his hand.

"Ok then lets go. Were meeting in the cafeteria is that ok? I promise I won't 

let Seifer touch you."

"Whatever." He eventually let go of my hand as we walked to the cafeteria. 

Ok so what happened here so far? I got the shit beaten outta me by Seifer 

and I spilt soup on Seifer. Yeah, I think I like this place. 

Thank god he wasn't there cause I would've gotten in another fight with 

him.

"Hi Irvine!" It was the klutz. The klutz sitting with 'hot shot' biker man and 

tattoo guy. Also with some girl who I didn't know.

"Hi Selph!" I guessed that was where we'd be sitting........I hate being right.

"What''s up?" I can't believe Irvine was friends with this crowd.

"Oh nothin' much but Irvine? Can I ask you a favour?" Oh this should be 

interesting.

"If it's about the garden festival then no. Sorry but no." Haha, the garden 

festival? I wouldn't be caught dead helping out for the garden festival.

"Meany" When we sat down I got stuck between biker dude (I forget his 

name), and Zell I think it was? Anyway the tattoo guy. Fun, fun.

"Oh guys, this is Alex....Alex this is Squall," he pointed to leather boy

"Zell," I knew that

"Selphie," the klutz smiled and waved. I rolled my eyes.

"And Rinoa," the girl in blue. They all looked at me as if I was suppose to 

say something.

"Uh...hi" oh jeez I felt like an idiot. Ok....they wanted me to say more.....

"uh.....I sorta met Squall in class, uh Selphie knocked me over and Zell 

uh...helped me out in the training centre." Ok I'm not saying anymore.

"Oh.....so what's with you and Seifer?" Was Reena or Riona or......the girl in 

blue referring to me and Seifer as a couple?

"Um......what's it to you?"

"Well sorrrrrrry" she snapped looking funny while getting angry, "I just 

wanted to start a conversation." Ok, whatever. Hehe, I rolled my eyes at 

her. Obviously to bug her.

"Whoa, whoa, Rinoa if she doesn't want to talk then don't get mad at her." 

What the hell? Did Zell think I needed someone to stick up for me just 

because I couldn't fight two t-rexsaurs by myself with no magic? Ok, people 

just love to push my buttons.

"Shut up Zell. I don't need you to look after me. I can take care of my own 

problems." Rinoa looked at me as if she were better than me. Sure she 

might be older than me but she's not better. "Well you sure needed help in 

the training centre this morning." Ok that was it. I'd had it with that bitch.

"Fuck you," I got up and left. Who the hell do they think they are treating me 

like a little kid? I am so not putting up with that.

I heard them talking as I left.

"That was harsh Rinoa, what's gotten in to you today?" Zell was mad at her. 

Go Zell, go Zell. Hehe what a bitch she is.

"Whatever, I'll see ya guys later." Why does he insist on protecting me? Oh 

jeez Irvine's getting annoying.

"Alex," I ignored him and headed for the front gate.

"Alex!" keep going, you heard nothing.......

"Alex! I know you can hear me so wait up." Fine, I stopped walking but 

didn't turn to face him.

"Just a little edgy? I thought you'd get along great with them,"

"Look, lets get one thing straight, I take care of my self, no one else, and no 

one else takes care of me. And I don't care if I meet anyone else either," if I

 wanted to I coulda punched him right then, the way he looked at me.

"I don't want to hurt you, I want to help you. You have social problems, 

admit it, and they're not gonna go anywhere if you keep shutting people out 

of your life. It's not healthy. You need to tell people the things that are on 

your mind." There's just one thing I don't get about all of this.....

"But why do you care....I've been doing fine all 15 years of my life, why 

should I change now? I'm happy with my life the way it is thank you very 

much."

"But your not, that's why you lash out at people,"

"This isn't health class Irvine so just leave me alone........fuck I wanna 

punch something," I started cracking my knuckles.

"Ok then.......punch me, pretend I'm Seifer and let it all out. Punch me till 

you can't punch anymore," I looked at him as if he was the one with three heads.

"You'll fall over before I'm tired."

"I work my abs, try me." when I looked at him, I still saw the other two heads.

"If you insist........." I started hard at his chest, pulled my arm back and with 

every ounce of force in my body I thrust my clenched fist forward. It 

probably felt like I was trying to punch through him, not at him. But wow, not 

only did all my strength go into the punch but so did all my anger. Irvine 

curled up like I did when Seifer kicked me the first time in the cafeteria. 

Then I tripped him but he didn't land all that hard.

"Is that the best you can do?" he asked smiling. I knew that he was in a lot 

of pain and I thought it was funny cause he was hugging his stomach, all 

glossy eyes, sayin 'is that the best you can do?'

"Another time" I smiled back "I'm going into Balamb to get somethin'' I left 

at my house." I held out a hand to help him up that he gladly took 

"Want company?" he looked like he wanted to come.

"It's a free country," I guess that's my way of saying 'sure why not' but I kept 

smiling and I never smile, stupid Irvine with his good looks and irresistible 

charm.

"It's faster to drive." Why not? I didn't really feel like walking anyway.

"Whatever"

  ~*~

"Turn left here and it's just a house up this road." Irvine stopped at the 

smallest house on the block.

"So, what exactly did you want to get?" we walked up to the door. It was 

locked but I always carry my key around.

"Oh um......just something." I ran up two my room, and jumped onto my 

bed. I was home!

"Alex!" Zoro! What a delightful sound it was to hear her speak.

"Hey buddy" I said as Irvine appeared in the doorway. "Hey, do you wanna 

come with me? Back to Balamb Garden?" I opened up the cage, if she 

really missed me she'd jump onto my arm. Which she gladly did.

"Ok, hush now lets go."

"Um...your not taking her to the garden are you?" He knew the answer.

"Eh, lets just stay hear a while, I got some food since we didn't eat lunch". I 

prepared some lunch while Irvine argued with Zoro weather or not I could 

bring up real eatable food. Zoro won, but I did bring up an actual lunch.

"How did she win? She's a bird?" Irvine was mad, not mad, mad, but play 

mad.

"I'm the only one who can win arguments with her, I've taught her well." we 

both laughed as we ate our hotdogs on my bed.

"Yeah, so.........what do you look for in a guy?" What!? Um, um, um!!!!!!

"Um.........never really thought about it." He didn't like that answer

"Oh common, you like me as a friend, but you don't like Seifer, what are the 

differences?" Ok, um why was he asking me this?

"Seifer's a fucking ass wipe, he insists on taunting me and 

he loves to feel like he can beat me but he can't." I coulda said a lot more 

but I didn't want Zoro repeating it when we were at the Garden. "You, 

you're nice, caring, tall, sweet um, not Seifer," when he laughed at that his 

eyes beamed. "You're a flirt" he smiled and winked at me. "And you insisted 

on trying to get to know me, so now I have a close friend besides Zoro," I 

think he was touched. He wasn't supposed to be but he was. We just stared 

into each others eyes for five minutes after I said that, and all I could think 

about was that he cared about me, more than my close family did anyway.

He was sitting close and as he looked into my eyes he leaned closer and 

closer. I knew what was going to happen, I just closed my eyes and waited. 

His lips met mine and he shared my first kiss. It felt good to know that some 

one actually cared about what you did for you not for them. I leaned in a bit 

more and kissed him back.

I finally broke the kiss. I didn't want to. I don't know why I did, but I did.

"That was nice" I didn't know what to say but I had to say something, 

pathetic as it was.

"Yeah, I know" his eyes sparkled as well as mine. He made me realize a lot 

of things that I hadn't known before, like I can trust people and they won't 

hurt me when I do. It was Zoro that broke the little trance by saying

"Food time, food time Squawk!"

"Hehe, we should go back now" I got up to feed her

"Yeah they'll probably be wondering were we went"

"Them? Oh them" I rolled my eyes, I didn't want to go back to see them 

but....I guess.....I don't know, whatever happens, happens.

"Please give them another chance, Zell was just trying to be nice he didn't 

mean that you couldn't stand up for yourself and Rinoa just doesn't know 

you yet."

I looked up into his greenie blue eyes.

"Fine."

we drove back to the garden and quickly brought Zoro to my dorm, 

then we went to find 'the rest of the gang' as Irvine called them.

"Hey Irvine, Alex" Squall said ever so enthusiastically. I glared at 

him. "Sup?" he actually made a facial expression. That must have 

hurt hehe. "Where did you to go all after noon?"

"Eh I started to teach her to shoot" Irvine winked at me but Squall 

didn't notice. Nice save Irvine!

"Yeah," I agreed 

"Oh, cool, well Zell's looking for you." Squall looked at me

"Oh, right he wanted to show me some moves. Um yeah where is 

he?" did I really want to see him?

"Dunno, you'll have to look for him." Phew, ok lets go somewhere 

else

"Ok. See ya around Squall." Irvine looked at me.

"I didn't know if you wanted him to know so I covered it up."

"Good, nothing against you, I just don't know him, them, can we 

keep it between us for a while?" I don't like people knowing my 

business

"Yeah o' coarse." I smiled at him, he knew the right thing to say.

"Ok, where to?" 

"We can go get you signed up for the SeeD test...."

"Yeah ok. It's tomorrow isn't it?" he nodded "Ok lets go."

~*~

I signed up for the SeeD test, then Irvine really did show me how 

to shoot. It's not hard, just point and click. Yeah, we sat and talked 

a bit about stuff and then Zell called up for supper.

"Irvine, is there anything else besides hotdogs? Cause if I eat 

another one I'm going vegetarian." He laughed at that remark. I 

liked making him laugh.

"Yeah, they have Cesar salad, if you take two it's a good meal." 

That's what I did.

We sat at a table with, Zell, Squall, Selphie, Rinoa and Quistis. 

Nobody said much, until Seifer sat down beside me.

"Well how did it go with the rexes?" he sneered evilly. Zell was 

about to say something but I stopped him when I glared at him.

"Fine thanks, now go." I didn't even look up at him

"Seifer go away, can't you tell you're not wanted?" Rinoa looked as 

impressed with Seifer as I did.

"Yeah, but that's why I'm hear pet," he winked at her.

"But nah, I'm hear cause of my friend Alex." He put his arm around 

me.

"Fuck off" I shoved him away.

"Oh, but aren't you trying to make new friends?" his fingers danced 

around my lower back. "You need to talk to people to make them 

your friend," his fingers went lower and he grabbed my ass.

"Fuck off!" I slapped him hard on the cheek and shoved him off his chair.

When he got up my hand print was still on his face.

"Fuckin'' Bitch!" He took a handful of my red hair, pulled me off the 

chair and threw me to the ground. He started kicking me but I 

tripped him. Irvine helped me up and when Seifer was back on his 

feet he punched him.

"Seifer! Alex! Irvine! Cid's office now!" Quistis screeched.

"I didn't do anything!" I argued. 

"NOW!"

We started walking. 

I was beside Irvine but Seifer was beside me

"What the hell is with you Seifer? Are you drunk or something?" 

Irvine asked.

"Nah, I just like samples," he winked at me and slapped my ass.

"Fuck YOU!" I punched him in the stomach twice as hard as I had 

punched Irvine earlier then I headed to my dorm followed by Irvine 

leaving Seifer on the floor.

"Shit! Why the hell is he fucking like that?!" I wanted to scream, I 

wanted to cry, I wanted to punch something, and I did. Irvine 

wasn't looking and I punched through the wall, getting my hand 

stuck.

"Alex! It's ok....not what he did but...." He gently pulled my hand 

out but it was stuck.

"Fuck!" I yanked my hand out creating a bigger hole. It was 

bleeding a lot. I held my hand up and watched the blood drip down 

my arm until Irvine wiped up the blood and held the cloth over my 

hand.

"Clam down and punch me, just please don't hurt yourself." I was 

getting ready to punch his strong abs when I collapsed into his 

arms crying. We sat on my bed and he was the shoulder I needed 

to cry on. I eventually cried myself to sleep on Irvine, he just laid 

down on the bed while I used him for a pillow. I think he stayed the 

night. 


	4. Dad?

**Chapter 4******

I woke up still laying on Irvine, who I couldn't tell was awake or not. Just in case, I just lay there, enjoying the moment while it lasted. Irvine woke up, so I pretended to still be asleep. He stroked my hair some. I had gone to heaven. I was probably really falling back asleep when.....

Knock

"Alex? It's Zell, um I couldn't find you most of yesterday, but um, if you want we can go train now." Shit! I looked over at Irvine who was as shocked at I was, where was I gonna put him!?

"Um just a sec!" I yelled though the door. "Irvine, um, hide in the um..." but when I looked he was already in the closet. I opened the door.

"Hi um yeah I guess so I uh just have to change. Uh come in" I walked to my suitcase and pulled out a pair of really, really baggy jeans, a tank, and went into the bathroom. I pulled off the shirt I had worn to bed and put on the jungle green tank. I was about to change my pants when I saw a shadow in the shower. I pulled open the curtain and nearly had a heart attack. Irvine hadn't gone to the closet, he had gone into the shower.

"Fuck you!" I said in a semi loud whisper.

"Shhhhh" he hissed

"Ok when were you gonna tell me that you were there? After I changed?!" I yelled in a whisper.

"I didn't want to scare you. But I didn't look." I soooooo felt like punching him right then but instead....

"Turn around I hafta change my pants." He turned and I changed.

"Ok so uh, do I bring my Gunblade?" I came out of the bathroom and shut the door behind me.

"Dunn matter." I took it, the whole 'I feel safer with a weapon' thing. On the way to, wherever we were going we met up with Squall. 

"Yo Squall, how's it hanging?" Squall looked right past Zell and at my Gunblade.

"Nice" he turned his head sideways to look at the dragon. Zell laughed and rolled his eyes

"Yeah," I drew it so he could get a better look.

"Can I?" he asked wanting to test it out.

"I dunno can you?" I liked bugging people but I gave it to him anyways. He slashed at the air a couple of times and looked impressed.

"Very nice," he handed it back.

"You and me, one on one some time." Please say yes, please say yes......

"Whatever," he went back to his normal dull self and waved us off.

"How rude," I protested

"No, how Squall." We walked into a room covered in mats, most-likely the other training center for hand to hand combat practice.

"Ok, attack me" Zell said talking off his metal knuckles.

"What?" I took off my belt and Gunblade

"Attack me, punch me, kick me, attack me" I had I plan....

"Um no....." I started to walk away then turned around and did a running kick at Zell who dogged it by a hair. I fell, rolled a bit and found myself at the feet of Seifer who was laughing hysterically.

"Fuck off." I started to get up but his foot came crashing into my back.

"Oof" I couldn't breath when I hit bottom

"Seifer fuc..." Zell was cut off

"Nah, I'd rather not." He started putting more and more of his body weight on my back. I tensed up, bit my lip and quickly rolled to one side when all his weight was centred on my back. Seifer came crashing down on top of me, to keep his face away from mine I crossed my arms over it.

Ok, talk about gross, Seifer was on top of me.

"I like this position" he taunted. Ok that was it...I grabbed his shoulders rolled us over so I was on top, punched him in the face **_again then got up and walked back to Zell._**

"You think good on your feet."

"No, I was just fucking pissed off. Now, you attack me." 

"Fair enough," Zell was fast and smart. He came at me with a fake to the stomach and at the last minute changed the angle for a head punch, but I saw it coming, so I ducked under and flipped him over my back. I didn't see him land but when I turned to face him, I had a close encounter with his shoe.

I got that in the face and I was down, but he didn't stop, thank god, I hate being treated like a little kid just cause I'm 15 and there all 17, 18, 19.

He ran towards me and looked like he was gonna jump, step on me like Seifer did so at the last second I rolled outta the way and kicked him in the calf. As he fell toward the mats I rolled as fast as I could, grabbed my gunblade, and came up behind him as he was getting up gently pressing the blade against his tender throat.

"Never underestimate your enemy," I sneered then released him and started cracking up when I noticed everyone on the training center looking at me and Zell. Zell joined in and the rest of the people went back to what they were doing. We stretched for the remaining time.

"Zell? Why is Squall so anti-social?" He seamed like he could be a nice guy if he said more then a one or two word sentence. 

"Eh, he's been through a lot I guess. Actually he's always been like that.....I guess it grows on you..." yeah but how can you hang with someone who's not gonna talk to you?

"Hmmmm speaking of Squall...." he came in holding his gunblade and taking off his jacket. Nice! Man Squall has a lot of muscle, why doesn't he just where the muscle shirt instead of that stupid jacket? 

"Hey, you ready to fight?" he sounded ever so enthusiastic but that's Squall for you. I got my gunblade and stood up.

"Bring it on" this is gonna be fun, cause he's not gonna try to kill me unlike Seifer. But by looking at him, he wasn't gonna go easy on me either.

We stood facing each other my eyes not leaving his and his not leaving mine, like we were trying to read the first attack from each others eyes waiting for Zell to start it. One thing I knew for sure was that he was going to make the first attack by the way he was impatiently waiting.

"Ok," Zell started, "three.....two.....one......Go!" I was right.

Squall ran toward me, gunblade half dragging behind him ready to slash in an upward motion. I jumped back and blocked it his attack holding my gunblade at the handle with one hand and at the top with the other for extra support. But I forgot that I didn't have gloves on...ahh well Just a lil more blood shed, that's all. I pushed him away and slashed down at him, missing his chest by millimetres. Actually, I think I cut his shirt. And he noticed.........He swung sideways at my face and slashed the bridge of my nose. Ok now I was mad. I ran toward Squall as fast as I could and rolled under his legs just as he thought I was gonna strike. Which was kinda hard when your two and a half inches taller, but I managed. I tripped him on my way up and put the tip of my gunblade at his neck gently like I did with Zell but with enough presser that he wouldn't dare try to struggle. Walking to the side of him but keeping the gunblade at his throat so when I took it off he couldn't trip me, I released the pressure, winked at him, then headed for the exit.

"Come on Zell," and we left. Squall wasn't that far behind us cause we were all eating together. Can you believe it? Lunch already.

We all met up at the usual table and we all got up for lunch at around the same time too. Irvine caught up to me.

"Oh, it's hotdogs again, that's it I'm going veggie" and I did! I don't know why, I just did.

"So how did training go?" he asked

"Oh my god you shoulda been there! I was attacking Zell......." yeah, I told him everything but it felt like when my dad would ask, just cause it's the nice thing to do. It's not like he wanted to here and I knew it. But anyways, that's how it felt with Irvine, so I summed it up really fast, and ate my salad. He didn't even notice my nose! Oh yeah........I took the napkin and wiped the blood away, that's when Quistis noticed

"Oh my god Alex! What happened?" Rinoa, Selphie and Irvine all looked at me.

"I was training with Squall." Smiled and winked at him. Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"Squall! Your just as bad as Seifer," Quistis glared at Squall's totally cool scar.

His blank expression quickly turned to anger, he was about to snap at her so I.....

"I deserved it, I cut his shirt, I guess I need to work on my blocking skills." Quistis left him alone after that.

"Alex, are you excited about the SeeD test?" Quistis asked me.

"Yeah I guess," I totally forgot! But I'm ready for whatever it is. "I'm just gonna go to my dorm, see ya in and hour," I hadta feed Zoro and clean her cage.

"Hello Zoro baby," I said in a 'mother talking to her infant' voice. I started talking to her when the door opened.

"Hello?" a female voice asked

"Who are you?" I knew but why not ask?

"Um, this is my dorm, are.....are you my room mate?" I forgot that we hadn't met yet.

"Yeah...uh......hi." Oh shit! Zoro!

"Uh, can I bring my boyfriend in?" 

"It's a free country," I closed the cage and through a sweater over it.

"Thanks so much!" a blonde in a pink top and baby blue shorts walked in with her much taller boyfriend.

"Nice bird." He, as I said was much taller than her, short, dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"He's taking the SeeD test and I'm not gonna be here when he gets back, I'll be in the training center then I have classes, oh duh, I'm Aurora, and this is Timmy."

"Hi" she was nice, a prep, but nice, "I'm Alex." 

"Alex......oh come on, Alex is a nick name, what's your full name? Alexandria?"

"No, um, I don't use it or respond to it." Just tell him, they'll understand

"Oh please?" he gave me the cutest puppy dog face, I giggled as well as Aurora

"Hehe, oh fine, it's Alzera"

"That's pretty but we won't use it" she looked so happy with him it was funny

We talked for a bit about Zoro and Aurora promised not to tell, and about the garden.

"Time to go." I grabbed my gunblade and five cures

"Yeah." Timmy got up and started to leave

"I know you'll make it, both of you!" cheered Aurora

"Yeah me too," Timmy agreed. I just nodded said good by to Zoro, then headed for the front gate with Timmy.

"Ok now that everyone's present, Team A will consist of Seifer, Timmy and Alex."

My eyes widened, I can't believe I'm stuck with Seifer on my SeeD test!

"Um, can you r...repeat that?" I stuttered

"Team A will consist of Seifer Almasy, Timmy Larson and Alex Kessler."

"Eh, thanks," no, No, NO!!!! Man he is so gonna screw me up on this mission.

"Team B Will consist of Stan Burden, Tommy Levi and Gary Gates

"Team C will consist of Roddy Hull, Vernan Croke and Squall Leonheart to complete the team." Quistis was talking al serious and stuff but I guess that's what you hafta do when your talking to an all guy group.

"Your mission: Go to Galbadia, kill all monsters, protect the citizens and get the computer chip that makes Balamb garden fly. Oh yes, be prepared to kill Galbadian soldiers. Team A, Seifer Almasy is your commander. Team B, Tommy Levi is your commander and team C, Squall Leonheart is your commander, Dismissed,"

Me and Timmy walked over to Squall

"Stuck with Seifer as your commander, haha," Squall laughed not meaning any harm

"Yeah, well it's not like I hafta take the test again," I winked and walked passed him

We took a car to Balamb's port and took a boat from there to Dollet.

"It's too hot in here, I'm goin' up top." I went up so I could feel the rushing wind in my hair. I started out into the ocean, and a million things went through my mind. How could Balamb have been so careless to let Galbadia take the fly chip? Why did Quistis pair me up with Seifer when she knew that we wanted each other dead? Why in six days did Irvine feel like the only one who cared about me, then become so distant? Who's behind me? I got my fist ready to punch Seifer.

I turned, punched, and realized that it was Squall, luckily for him he dodged it.

"Woah! It's just me!" he knew that I thought it was Seifer

"Sorry, what do you think is gonna happen, during the mission?" I turned back out to the sea.

"Depends on Seifer, he screwed up on his last test and nearly cost us the mission, and our lives."

"Oh that's reassuring," I said sarcastically and laughed.

"Time to go," Squall headed back downstairs. I stayed so I could get a good look at the city.

"Alex! Get a move on!" Seifer yelled as if he actually cared about the mission

All the teams split up as they were told to, Team A (my team) was to hang out in the town and wait for monsters and Galbadian solders. I didn't listen to the others. We waited for twenty minutes and encountered a few one hit wonders before we realized that we were suppose to walk around.

"Ok, Timmy, you take that street, it's just one big circle and will bring you back here, I'll tale that one over there and Alex you stay here." Timmy started to leave

"Excuse me! I am so not staying hear. I'll take that one." I started walking

"Get back hear Kessler, that's an order!" I had to listed or risk losing points from my final mark.

"Why do I hafta stay?!" I sat on the fountain and protested.

"Cause I told you to, get going Larson!" Timmy ran down one of the streets. Seifer ran down another.

"Great, I'm not only the youngest on this stupid mission but I'm the only girl." 

I waited ten minuets when Squall and his team ran toward me.

"I got it, but there's an army after us so lets go, I already consulted with team C."

"Seifer and Timmy are down there somewhere," I pointed "Seifer made me stay" I rolled my eyes

"Well go get Timmy and I'll get Seifer, now!" I ran down the street.

"Timmy, we gotta go! Where are you?" someone grabbed me from behind. I threw him in front of me. It was Timmy

"Shut up! I'm hiding from like twenty Galbadian solders!" he yelled in a whisper "Now they know were here!" we started running, I heard a gunshot, looked behind me and saw Timmy stumbling to get up.

"Timmy!" I had to get him. You never ever leave a comrade behind. I saw a couple of Galbadian solders running to him but I got there first. I drew my gunblade and stood in between them and Timmy. Unfortunately for me, they drew guns. I took a couple of hits with my shoulder but killed them off. I had to get him to safety before he lost to much blood, or before I did. I started dragging Timmy up the street where Squall and Seifer were waiting, but I was getting weaker and weaker, and so was Timmy, he could hardly keep his eyes open. There was a long thick trail of blood from him and me, and soldiers were shooting at us but had bad aim from where they were. Squall came running up to me.

"Leave him! He's not gonna make it!" I shoved him off

"Alex! He's lost too much blood and what about you!?" I kept pulling.

"Help or leave." I almost had him to the fountain when soldiers jumped from a balcony and attacked me and Squall.

He had me pinned with a gun to my head, I looked hard into his eyes and realized who he was. 

I couldn't believe it.

"D..Dad?" I was crying

"Alex?" he realized it too. But he was the enemy and I was ordered to kill the enemy as was he, and to him, I was the enemy. I took the opportunity to punch him get up and try to get Timmy outta there. Squall was up and at my side.

"Come on! You're too weak and he's gonna die anyway!"

"No! We can't leave him!" I looked over at my father running towards me his gun.

"No!" Squall yelled, then my world went black. 


	5. Dance With Me?

**Chapter 5**

"Is she gonna be ok?" someone asked in a frantic voice. My head hurt, bad, and I couldn't move, well I could, but it hurt. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't focus on anything. Instead I groaned.

"I'm not sure I'm not a doctor!" I think that was Quistis and sounded just as frantic.

"Uh...." I tried to flutter my eyes open again. "What happened?" my throat was dry and raspy and I was stuttering.

"Alex!" Squall's face appeared, "Galbadia sent solders after us but we outran them, we're on our way back to Balamb." Squall's face was bleeding and he was sweating but he seemed ok.

"Where are we?" I couldn't really see much

"We're on the boat going back to Balamb." Squall looked away.

"Where's....Tim.....Timmy?" Did I save him? I couldn't remember.

"We had to leave him Alex," Quistis's voice was soft when she spoke

"No.....no.....no! Why didn't you save him!? We were so close! And you left him!" I screamed at them.

"Squall couldn't carry you and Timmy," she probably didn't think much of it, just another SeeD to replace.

"Well, what about Seifer?! He coulda done it!" Everyone went quiet.

"Seifer was shot and......" I couldn't believe it. Seifer, Timmy, who next? 

"And what....?!" I wanted to hear the words

"And they took him ok?!" she ran off crying.

"I'm......" I started crying and fell asleep, either that or passed out.

""It's all your fault Alzera, it's cause of you that Timmy and Seifer are dead."" he stared at me with cold piercing eyes

""I.....I.....I didn't mean for it...."" He stepped out into the light

""Of coarse you did, you wished for it to happen. You hated Seifer and you were jealous of Aurora for having Timmy"" He held my gunblade and started coming towards me.

""No, I didn't do..."" he stood in front of me, holding my gunblade out as if to give it to me.

""You know you what you have to do,"" he tried to give it to me.

""No, I won't do it,"" I backed away

""Then I'll do it for you."" My father raised the gunblade at me and slashed down.

"AHHHHH!!!!!!" I woke up.

"Alex?! What is it?" Squall came running in.

"Uh......." I had to catch my breath "Nothing, just a........a bad dream,"

"Alex! How are you feeling?" The klutz girl, um, Selphie? Well she came in.

My eyes started tearing up, I had let someone die.

" I'm.....fine," I looked away, I didn't want them to see me cry. "Did we complete our mission?" why the hell did I ask that? Two people are dead, possibly more! And all I had to say was 'did we complete our mission'? How pathetic! "I'm sorry," I burst into tears and buried my head into my hands. Selphie ran over and hugged me but I pushed her away.

"Just go," if only I had gone with him.

"Are you sure?" I didn't look at her, I couldn't look at anyone. 

"Ok if you need anything, then we'll all be in Squall's dorm." Then they left.

What happened when I blacked out? How did Seifer get shot? Why am I still here? That last question was answered. I slowly and painfully got up, found my clothes and went into the bathroom.

Taking off the hospital gown I saw a long scare on my left shoulder.

"Cool, I have a non self inflicted scar." Don't ask, it's a long story. Anyways I changed and snuck out.

  


Everyone I passed on my way to my dorm gave me the three headed stare, but all I wanted to do was see my bird.

"Hello? Aurora? It's me Alex," I said, walking into the dorm. Guess she wasn't there.

"Hello Zoro. Guess what I did yesterday? I got a person killed."

"Squawk!" Go figure. I went to the bathroom to clean up my face but couldn't get in.

"What the hell?....." I rammed, hurt shoulder first into the door and fell into the tub.

"Ahhhhh shit!" that really hurt. With the shoulder that I got shot in a couple of times, I busted opened a door and landed shoulder first into a tub, oh yeah, I feel great. I looked around the bathroom, went ghostly pale, and calmly exited the dorm.

knock!

"Hello?" squall asked

"uh....h..hi it's a...it's me Al....Alex."

"Come in!" Selphie seemed happy, not for long though.

"Hi, uh, um.."

"Are you ok?" Zell asked. "You look really pale." I was shaking all over.

"yeah I know, it's a cause, um, Aurora, my room mate, she a, um.. she's dead....in the um, bathroom." 

Evidentially, Aurora committed suicide after she found out Timmy died. Wow, I'd say that's a record, three people died cause of me, again I say wow.

I decided not to talk to many people, although it's hard when they accuse you of killing Seifer. But I needed to find out what happened, and Squall was the one ask.

"Squall?" I knocked at his dorm door hoping no one else was there.

"Yeah? Come in." I walked into squall's dorm.

"What happened when I blanked out?" He looked at me with a cold expression on his face, then turned away and looked out the window.

"After that guy hit you with his gun..." he started "I slashed him and picked you up....more solders were coming faster then I could run, so Seifer came back to help me. He fought off a couple of solders and started to run to the boat. The guy who clubbed you shot him and they took him away." I couldn't say a thing, I **_had killed Seifer basically._**

  


"......ok" I said in a really low voice "uh......thanks.......I'm gonna.....go now." Why did he help try to save me? He's tried to kill me a couple of times. But.......he helped save me, I didn't deserve to live, I could've died and saved two lives, Timmy's and Seifer's. I needed to kill something.

"Fuck you Seifer!" I yelled while slashing at a t-rexsaurs "Why did you have to try to save me!?" I ran at the rex again. When you're pissed, you feel invincible, and do stupid things. The rex whipped me backwards with his long tail.

"Ahhhh shit!" He charged at me, jaws open ready to kill, I just laid there. Why not let it kill me? I didn't deserve to live, two people died because of me, on my team.

I closed my eyes and relaxed, waiting for my punishment.

Bang! the gunshot scared it off.

"Alex! What the hell? Why didn't you get up and fight!? Irvine ran over to me.

"Go away, leave me alone!" I got up with my gunblade and started walking away.

"Alex! It wasn't your fault...." Ooooooo why wouldn't he just shut up?

"Shut up Irvine! You weren't there!" I stopped but didn't face him.

"Then tell me...." Not likely

"SHUT UP!" I screamed and ran at him, ready to slash. He dogged but not by much. I got his forearm pretty bad. He winced a bit and applied pressure. 

"Irvine!" I can't believe what I just did! I attacked a friend! "I'm....are you ok?" I ran over to him.

"Yeah I'll be fine." He was in a lot of pain. I ripped a couple of strips off my shirt and wrapped them around his wound. 

"I'm sooo sorry," I sank my teeth into my lip.

"Yeah, probably," he started to walk away. And I was alone again.

I ran the other direction. I ran out of the training center, I ran to the front gate and I ran out of Balamb garden. I didn't stop until I was at the beach, and until I noticed that my gunblade cut up my legs when I ran.

"Fuck," that's just what I needed, more wounds. Squall is mad at me, Irvine won't talk to me, the rest.....I didn't want to think about it.

"Fuck!" I threw my gunblade into the crashing waves.

"Nice going Alex," now what are you going to do?........eh dive in.

The water was cold, very cold, numbing cold, but I had to find my gunblade.

I waded in up to my neck before stepping on it. 

"Shit!" I went under and picked it up. When I came up, Zell was standing on the beach. I swam towards shore.

"Uh, hi Alex," he sat on the sand and started out at the glistening water.

"Hi," I sat in the shallow water. 

"Listen, if your here to bug me about the fucking SeeD test, mission thing then I don't want to here it," he probably wasn't but I had to say it anyways.

"K,..........um, I just wanted to know if you were going to the SeeD dance tonight," what the hell! People have died and he was asking my if I was going to go to a stupid dance?

"Yeah right, and what will I do there? Besides get teased, laughed at and rejected by society?" He looked at me and smiled.

"Dance with me?" Ok, what the hell was I supposed to say to that?

"Um.....ok who put you up to this?" probably Rinoa.

"No one........." he's serious? Well it might get you mind off killing Seifer and Timmy but is that right? Just to forget about it and have fun?

"Um......I have nothing to wear,." What a lame answer I have all day to go and buy a dress.....wait, a dress? I never wear dresses, and I have no taste when it comes to being all fancy and how will I do my hair and.....

"Selphie suspected that so she offered to help you choose, she really thinks you should go, it will help you take your mind offa things." Ok now what?

"Uh.......I have um....." I looked at him searching for an excuse not to go.

"Oh common, please? And a isn't that water kinda cold?" Hmmmmm

"If you can stay in the water for ten minutes then I'll go, but I'll warn you, it's really cold."

What a jerk, he did it, ten minutes and I stayed in with him so we both came out blue and shivering and without towels. But we didn't have to walk, Zell had brought a car.

"I....I....I ca...cant bel..eve I di..d that....ohhh...its...co...old," Zell was having a hard time speaking, I laughed at him.

"Where were you!" Selphie ran over to me and Zell as we walked into the garden.

"Swimming," I hugged myself and shivered. 

"Yeah, fun, fun" Zell agreed sarcastically.

"Oh jeez you two are stupid! So Alex? Are you going to the dance? Please say you are cause.." 

"Yeah, I am" I didn't know why, but I was.

"Yay! Common lets get you changed!" she dragged me away from the shivering Zell who just stood there probably trying to get the feeling back in his body.

"Ok," we (Me and Selphie) were in Balamb looking at dresses, "What ones do you like?" she looked like she was having a lot of fun

"um.............." I looked around, lost, like I was at a four way stop, no map, and trying to choose which way would bring me home

"Oh jeez, try this on," she threw me a puffy shouldered, long sleeved high cut green dress. Yuck but I tried it on anyway, yuck

"Next!" over the dressing room door flew a red tub mini dress that zippered in the back. Huh? It was a yard or two of material with a zipper slapped on the back to hold it together. I wasn't even gonna try that on.

"Next!" over came a long yellow puffy skirt and a corsetry thing that zipped up in back for a shirt. I tried it on and came out

"Wow! That looks really good!" Selphie was like all over me with complements but I didn't like it...

"I don't like yellow, anything in blue?" she rolled her eyes and was back at the racks. It's not the Prom! I'll choose.

"Hmmmmm" I took the plainest looking one there, to try on, it was blue, purple just a bunch of diff shades of blue and purple, it went really, really low in the back, it was low cut and the straps were really thin, I liked it.

"Selphie!" I yelled from inside the dressing room, "Come take a look at this." 

"Ok!" I walked out of the dressing room and twirled, why I don't know. 

"What da ya think?" Oh, and did I mention, it was like made for my body? It fit like a dream.

"Wow! Nice choice! If you didn't want something all fancy and prom-like then why didn't you say so?"

"You looked like you were having fun" I smiled that 'I'm an angle' look.

"Ok, next stop, the hairstyler's!" Oh yay.

Ok, so I had my dress, shoes, make up(not on yet but I got _everything), hair done, now all I needed was supper._

"We're not gonna let anyone see you till the dance ok? It's only in like two hours so I'll go back to get my stuff and you chill out here, but touch the hair and die!" Selphie smiled and dashed out the door.

  


Ok, now what? Oh, duh, Eat!

I ate a salad with corn chips and chocolate sprinkles. Yum. Then I turned on my CD player and began to drift away to the sound of the music....

""Why do you hide from it? You can't run from your actions,"" Seifer looked at me with his cold eyes, he stood before me pale, a bullet hole on his chest, dead but yet so alive with anger.

""It wasn't suppose to happen like that, I was suppose to save Timmy."" 

He held my gunblade out to me, ""But you didn't, and now were both dead cause of you."" 

I looked at him with a blank face, ""I know.""

""You know what you have to do, to make it right,"" I took my gunblade and read the words:

Alzera, 

keep this close, you never know when you need a reminder of your true family 

Love 

Nanny.

""Do it,"" his voice was strong and forceful

I lifted the gunblade over my head, ""I have no true family."" Then I slashed it down on my wrist and watch the blood drain out.

""Now it's right,"" Seifer walked away

"Ahhhh!" why did I keep dreaming that I died? But it was so real...

"Alex I'm back! Did you get something to eat?"

"Uh...yeah" I sat up quickly,

"Ok we have half an hour to get ready! Put on your dress, I'll be in the bathroom putting on mine."

I took off my shirt and slid the dress over my head, then I took my pants off and put on some spandex shorts. I know I said I never wear dresses, but I had to, and when I did I always wore shorts underneath.

I put on my high heel shoes and dingily earrings, then to top it off I put on a Cross necklace with blue gems on it on and walked downstairs.

"Uh Selph? Um......am I really going to the dance like this? I feel like royalty, I don't want to feel like royalty, I wanna feel like me," I slowly came down stairs half falling. Man! These shoes are way to high.

"Oh just get down hear with out ripping your dress, dances are fun!" Selphie was running back and fourth looking for something.

"Ug, there is so, no room to move in this dress," I could only take two foot long steps or it would rip.

"There isn't supposed to be, that's why it's a dress!" Selphie was warring that yellow puffy skirt thing, and she looked really good in it.

"That looks good on you Selphie." I grabbed my jean coat and headed for the door.

"Thanks, and hold on, what about your makeup? Get back here...." 

Ok, now I was ready and I felt like 'princess clown' ug, ahh whatever, only for one night and I liked the dark green eyeliner, it looked good.

"Ok, lets go," and I headed for the door, followed by Selphie.

"It'll be fun, trust me," she smiled one of those big bright things that you can't help smile back at and then started the car.

"Ok! Here we come!"


	6. Seifer?

Chapter 6

"It's really not gonna be that bad Alex," Selphie dragged me from 

the parking lot into the garden.

"I know, but I just don't feel like I should be here, you know after 

what happened and all, I know Squall and Irvine are mad at me 

and I don't know why I care, but I'm all nervous and if they're there 

and they don't talk to me and...." I noticed Selphie had stopped 

walking.

"It's a dance not the gate of judgment," then she started laughing 

'cause Selphie just cannot be serious. 

"Whatever."

We walked in and no one noticed thank god, I needed somethin'' 

to drink.

"Hey Alex!" I turned around and saw Zell in his SeeD uniform. He 

looked really funny in it cause it just is not him at all and 

anyway......

"Hi Zell," I put on a smile. I think it passed considering it was a 

fake, 'cause he smiled back.

"Wow! You look really nice," he looked me over.

"Thanks you don't look half bad yourself," the music was not how I 

expected it. I thought it was gonna be all classical and junk cause 

that's what someone told me but they actually had music from this 

millennium! Yeah, 'cause 'Ride wit me' came on. I love that song.

"Come on," Zell pulled me out on the dance floor. I can't dance! 

What am I supposed to do! Shake my ass?! Hey why not everyone 

else is doing it. But....nah.

"Lighten up, it's a dance just um......I dunno, dance!" Zell was good 

at dancing, I'm guessing he can break dance ''cause of the way he 

moved

"uh.....ok" I started dancing, I don't know what I was doing but it 

must have been right if Zell was smiling........unless he was 

laughing. Hmmmmm anyways, just as I started getting into it a 

slow song came on and I went to get a drink.

"Hmmm, spiked fruit punch, yum," I needed some alcohol. I looked 

over at the punch table and Irvine was there......with 

Selphie....flirting. I knew it. Stupid bastard, why did I trust you? I 

knew it was to good to be true. I looked out at the stars. So many 

so far away. It makes you feel so insignificant and small.

"Hey Alex, uh..um...wanna uh...dance?" I looked over at Zell and 

had to smile. He looked so nervous.

"Sure.....no I mean I'd love to." He took my hand and we walked 

out onto the dance floor. The song was Crazy by KC and Jojo. I

 put my arms around Zell's neck and rested my head on his 

shoulder, which was kinda odd cause I had to lean over. Zell 

wrapped his hands around my waist and held me close. This is it? 

This is the big slow dancing? I like it. Hehe Squall didn't want to 

dance but Rinoa was trying to drag him onto the dance floor, haha. 

And.....is that…? oh it is. 

I frowned as I watched Irvine and Selphie kiss. I think he saw me 

but I looked away. The song seemed to drag on forever but it was 

nice, to be in the arms of someone else. And the song stopped, 

stupid short songs, and a waltzey thing came on. 

"Thanks. Common let's go see Selph and them," Zell said. We 

started to walk over to the drink table when...

"Hi, wanna dance?" Irvine stepped in front of me.

"No," I tried to go around him but he stopped me.

"Why not? It's fun to dance to 'Waltz to the Moon',"

"No, go away," He really knew the right time to bug me.

"What? Did I do something?" Oh jeez, how clueless can one 

person get?

"Uh, yeah. I thought you liked me, then I see you flirting with 

Selphie. Then I see you kissing Selphie, but other than that no, 

you did nothing, like asking me to the dance instead of Zell now 

excuse me, I don't want to make a scene." Bad move.

"Lets talk," he took me back out onto the dance floor. He was right, 

'waltz of the moon' was fun to dance to, but not with Irvine.

"Why must you do this? I have people to talk to and drinks to 

drink," he swung me out and I almost hit some girl.

"Watch it! I'm trying to dance here!" she yelled, then continued 

dancing.

"Irvine let me go, I don't want to dance with a player," I broke free 

of his grip and walked toward the others who conveniently were 

watching.

"Oh common," he called out to me. It was funny making him look 

like an idiot.

"Jeez, what's with him? Can't he take a hint?" Rinoa asked glaring 

at Irvine who had instantly headed over to Selphie and was now 

dancing with her.

"Whatever, can you pass me a drink?" What a jerk. Oh well, screw 

him. I'll try to have fun.

"What are you doing here?" A blonde girl sneered.

"Uh, having a drink." What the hell did she want? I started to walk 

away when she pushed me against the wall.

"You let Seifer get captured and you're here? While he could be 

getting tortured? He might even be dead for all you know. And it's 

all because of you. How can you even show up at the SeeD 

dance? After what you've done. Get out, murderer," she stood 

there glaring at me, waiting for me to leave.

"I......I......" I couldn't even talk, my knees were getting weak.

"You what?" she snapped. "Killed Seifer? We know, now get out 

killer."" My eyes were tearing up so much that I couldn't see. I 

brushed them away and started to run out of the room but when I 

passed her she shoved me down.

I hit the floor hard but got up and ran. I needed to get out, again. I 

couldn't stand it. I ran through the halls.

"Damn you Seifer!" I screamed when I got to my dorm. I sat 

against the door and looked around the room through blurry eyes. 

The first things I saw were my gunblade and switch blade. I took 

the switch blade and headed for the training center as fast as I 

could.

I ran barefoot through the trees because I couldn't run in my heels, 

and stopped at the balcony of the secret area.

"Why, why did he have to help save me?!" I yelled out to the night 

sky. No one else was there, or if they were they'd left already. 

Why? Why did the mission go so wrong? Why did I have to live 

and two people die?

"Tell me!" I took out the blade, so small yet so lethal. Why not just 

end it all now? There's no point anymore. I..............

"I can't take this!" I gotta stop doing that or someone will hear. Ok, 

I had two...no three choices maybe four. First I could cut my wrists 

or throat, two, I could jump off the balcony, three I could find a t-

Rexaurs ,or four, none of the above. But lets not do four. 

I took the blade and gently traced an imaginary line on my wrist. 

But did I really wanna do this? Then I thought of what the bitch 

said. Yeah. I sat on the ledge of the balcony and looked at my 

wrist.

"When I get weak I'll fall anyway," I took the blade and made a cut 

on one side and slowly started to drag it across to the other. The 

blood came fast.

"Alex! No!" Squall came running out of the training center followed 

by Zell.

"Go away!" They weren't going to stop me. I let myself fall back. 

"Alex!" someone caught my hand.

"Let go! Now!" I screamed at Squall. Zell tried to grab my other 

hand but I wouldn't let him.

"No! It wasn't your fault Seifer died!" he had a grip with both hands 

but I kept struggling.

"Yes it was! If he hadn't helped save me then he'd still be alive!" I 

tried to pry his fingers off of my wrist but Zell grabbed my other 

hand.

"Stop, please! Let me go!" The tears poured from my eyes and I 

was getting weaker and weaker with each passing minute.

"Pull her up." I couldn't struggle anymore so I just let them take me 

up.

"Alex it wasn't your fault, you can't blame yourself." Squall held my 

wrist tight to stop anymore blood from leaking out.

"But, he, I..........."

The infirmary. How many times is that? Three? I think so, but I was 

fine all accept my wrist but I think......yeah, that was bandaged. I 

had to get ready for gunblade classes.

I don't think I've ever actually checked out of this place yet, 

whatever. I walked to my dorm, my new dorm, the one I had all to 

myself, and changed into my baggy jeans and green tank and got 

my gunblade. I was late but better late then never right?

"Never turn your back to your opponent," Squall was saying as 

opened the door to the other training center.

He looked at me but kept going.

"Ok now pair up and show me what you've learned," everyone 

paired up and I was without a partner. Just my luck, Squall came 

over.

"I didn't think you'd come," he got in the ready stance.

"Don't go easy on me Mr. Leonheart," I made the first move and 

struck down just missing him.

"How's your wrist?" he swung at my face, I blocked it inches away 

from where he hit me last time.

"This is class, Mr. Leonheart, not socialization time," Squall 

charged at me, gunblade to one side ready to strike. I dogged his 

blow and kicked his knee really hard.

"Common, instructor stop going easy on me." But he stopped the 

set of duels and talked about being ready for other types of 

attacks, like when I kicked his knee so he would fall.......boring

"Excuse this announcement but would Alex Kessler report to Cid's 

office please?"

I took my stuff and headed for the elevator.

"Hello Alex, come in, sit down," Cid invited me in. I didn't want to 

sit.

"I'll stand thanks," I said quickly.

"Ok, I'll make this brief, your mother left town the day you arrived 

here at the garden and she hasn't been back since. She's missed 

rent collection and the land lord wants you moved out by 

tomorrow," I looked at him no, I looked through him. I couldn't look 

at him.

"What? Where am I gonna put everything? There's not enough 

room in my dorm for all the stuff," I looked at him like he was trying 

to take the last part of home away from me, and he was.

"I don't know, but if you don't find a place today he's gonna sell it 

all and keep the profits, but there's more......" I can't believe this! I 

don't care about my step mom's stuff but there was things of my 

real mothers that I could never part with.

"Well what am I gonna do? I have no help from the garden to move 

all the stuff, I can't do it all by myself and I have ''till tomorrow?" I 

was pacing back and forth in his office looking like I was ready to 

tear the place apart.

"Wait, there's something else, you might want to sit down for 

this....."

"What? What else do you have to say to me headmaster Cid?!" 

Hehe cool, I was yelling at the headmaster.

"Your grandmother passed away last night," he looked away as my 

face turned red and tears welled up in my eyes.

"Wh...a...t? First you tell me that my mother is being evicted, is no 

where to be seen and that I have to clear out, then you tell me that my only true blood family that I have left died last night, and........." 

I couldn't even finish so I ran out of his office. I needed to get my 

mother's things, I couldn't let them be sold.

I took a car, even though I'm too young to drive, to my house in 

Balamb.

My room, I had to get everything I could fit into the car from my 

room, them up to the attic and get my mothers stuff 

then.......then.......then what ever happens, happens.

So that's what I did. I took all my posters, stuffed animals, pictures 

and jewellery that I owned, then I went to the attic and got all my 

mother's old clothes, jewellery and pictures and went downstairs 

with my dad's old baseball bat.

"No one's gonna make a profit off of any of this stuff!" I yelled as I 

went through the house smashing every piece of anything that 

could possibly be valuable. 

When I was done all they could make anything off was the 

toothpicks they'd make from the wood splinters. I slouched onto 

the stairs.

"Alex? Why did you come back? You know I'll kill you but if your 

there then I'll find you sooner."

"Daddy?"

"You better get out soon......."

My eyes snapped open. Wow, that was weird, how long have I 

been here? I started to get up when I heard the door open. 

Where's my gunblade?! Oh, good right there, don't move 

wait......wait.......

"Woh, what happened here?" a male voice asked

"No idea........."

"Shhhhh! Who's that?" I'm guessing they saw me. I pretended to 

be asleep.

"Why the hell is Alex here? Ya think she did this?"

"Probably," I heard three separate voices. Nice, this should be fun.

"Just grab her, maybe we can get some info bout the garden from 

her."

"Yeah, I'll look around to see if there's anyone else here," that was 

him, that backstabbing bastard. My dad.

"Ok, Jake you get her arms I'll get her legs....." I don't think 

so........... Closer.........closer.....closer.........now! I grabbed my 

gunblade and stabbed the nearest thing to me.

"Shit," he wheezed then fell over.

"John! Keegan's down!" I lunged at the Galbadian solder with my 

gunblade and struck him in the arm.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" I kneed him in the stomach and ran. He ran after 

me.

"Get away from me, I have no problem with killing you!" I stopped 

and faced him in the street.

"Alex, if you don't come with me then we'll kill Seifer." He's still 

alive! Oh no, what have they done to him to get information? Shit!

"Yeah right, like I'm gonna trust you, that last time I trusted you, 

you ran out and I never saw you till a couple of days ago. I really 

don't think so, and how could you leave me with that bitch?" Jake, 

the guy I stabbed in the arm came up behind my dad.

"That's the thing though, it could be a trap and Seifer could already 

be dead but he could really be alive and his life will depend on you. 

Oh and how else would we know his name?" What an evil person, 

how could I have come from that?

People stopped and watched from the side walks, we were in the 

middle of the street.

"No he........no! I won't!" but if he is alive then......

"Ok, then, hey Jake? How many whippings will it take to get the 

name of the SeeD secret code?" What secret code? What if there 

is none and there just using it as an excuse to whip him?!

"Wait! I'll.........." I looked around of the civilians, all eyes on me. "I'll 

go,"

My dad looked as if he just won the Olympic gold for logic. 

"I thought so," he walked toward me with a rope in his hands.

"Put your hands behind your back and make this easy for me." 

I had to do what he said, Seifer's life (or not,) depended on it. He 

tied my hands behind my back and a van picked us both up.

"Seifer!" he was there in the van, pretty beaten up but alive. My 

dad had to hold me back, I can't believe how happy I was to see 

Seifer but when you think you killed someone and they're not really 

dead then you can't help from being happy.

"Ok Alex, here's the deal. We're gonna let you go, your gonna 

steal the fly chip and bring it back to me. Then your gonna cut the 

power and were gonna attack, if we suspect that anything is going 

wrong or that anyone else knows, Seifer dies,"

"Why? Why are you going to do this?" I asked keeping and eyes 

on Seifer, he looked like he was in a lot of pain.

"'Because honey, that's what I've been ordered to do, now do as 

you're told and Seifer won't get hurt." I looked at him, my dad, with 

cold eyes,

"No." I sat up and looked him directly in the eyes. "I won't do it." He 

looked at Seifer then hit me.

"Ahhhh!" I fell off the seat and hit the floor face first. "Ohhh," I spit 

up blood.

How could he do this to me?

"Leave her alone!" Seifer yelled at my dad. He got punched a 

couple of times in the stomach by the guys holding him.

"No! Stop!" I cried, still on the floor

"Alex, I will kill him," he got up and held my gunblade to Seifer's 

throat.

"No don't please!" I spat out some more blood "I'll......I'll do it,"

Seifer shook his head but he stopped him.

He released Seifer and handed me my gunblade, and smirked

"Good, that's a good little daddy's girl,"

They dropped me back at my house and I got back into the 

garden's car and drove back to Balamb garden.

"Alex? Are you alright?" Cid was waiting for me in the parking lot.

"Yeah, just peachy." Oh shit! I forgot about my eye!

"Did you do that Alex? Did you try to beat yourself up?" I glared at 

him and spit out a bit of blood.

"Yeah, now leave me alone," I walked past him.

"Alex, nothing will come of this." He looked at me with pity in his 

eyes.

"I got all the valuable things, the rest of the shit there is theirs," I 

walked past him with two large boxes and headed for my room.

"Hey Alex, um do you need help?" Zell walked up to me but I didn't 

stop.

"No," I was in a bad mood but I couldn't take it out on Zell. "I'm 

fine." He didn't buy that.

"What's up? Whoa, how did ya get the black eye?" Zell please, 

stop I can't tell you.

"Uh.......I uh gave it to myself, to see how much pain I can endure." 

Seifer hold on, I won't let you die.

"Alex, please, something's up, you know you can tell my anything."

"I know but this..........I can't," I started to run.


	7. Stupid Desicion

**Chapter 7**

"Alex, Squawk!" Zoro greeted me but I didn't answer, instead I lay 

on my bed and cried, and cried.

Knock! 

Who the hell was that?

"Who is it?" I didn't feel like getting up.

"Um, it's Quistis. Can I talk to you?"

um how 'bout..."No I'm busy" *sniff* Stupid people   

"Busy doing what? Crying?" I decided to get up.

"What do you want?" I asked as I opened the door. 

"Something's bothering you, I want to know what it is, everybody's 

worried about you." No, I don't want them to.

"Well you can tell them to stop. Now if you'd excuse me, I have

 things to do," I started to close the door but she grabbed it.

"You tried to commit suicide last night, today you disappear and 

them comeback and cry somethin's up and I need to know to help 

you," she looked at me and wouldn't stop.

"I'm fine, just go away," I shut the door quickly. Why must people 

insist on knowing everyone else's business? If I tell you I'm fine I'm 

probably lying, but accept the answer I feel like giving you. 

What did I ever do to deserve a life like this? It was fine when mom 

was around. Dad was home, working on his books, mom was a 

teacher, then that fucking drunk ran her over in the school parking 

lot.

It was after that when my life started to go down hill. My dad 

married a bitch, I don't know why, and we moved from Trabia to 

Balamb. Two weeks later, he left.

How am I gonna get the stupid fly chip? When does he want it? 

Where do I go to bring it to him?

I wonder if they put it back yet.

I had to find a way to get it, it's probably in Cid's office or where 

ever the navigation room was. Hmmm I wonder if I could get Cid to 

take me there?

"Um, Cid?" I opened the door to his office.

"Yes?" he didn't even look up.

"I was, um... wondering if I could see the navigation room? See 

how the garden flies?" That was so lame, if he buys it then I'll have 

no respect for him.

"Sure, just go up there," he pointed to another elevator thing, "And 

I'll be with you in a minute." What a loseric moron, hehe I made 

that word up. 

"Uh.....ok" I went up the elevator thingy and came up on top of the 

garden. The navigation room. Ok, so if I were a fly chip, where 

would I be? Do I remember what it looked like? Yeah, it was small, 

like it could fit in the palm of your hand, on one side it was purple 

and on the other side it had eight spike things that plugged into 

something. Obviously to make it fly. But where is it? Hmmmmm... 

there's the steering and there's some other stuff and..........ah ha! 

There it is! I'll just...haha! Got it. Now to leave.

"I'm sorry Alex, can you come back later? I have something 

important to attend to," Cid called from his office.

"Sure, no prob," I went down the elevator thing and left his office.

But what now? Where do I go to deliver? Shit, Seifer's gonna die 

and it's my fucking fault. Shit! Um, maybe if I wait by my old house 

they'll come to pick me up or whatever they're gonna do. Yeah, 

that's a plan.

I headed for the front gate and Zell came along.

"Alex, we need to talk." No Zell, not now, "Somethin's up and I 

need to know what is it," He stopped me from going through the 

gates.

"I uh need to go..." I tried to walk past him,

"Alex, tell me, I can help but I need to know what it is." Zell, I will 

tell you, just not right now.

"Zell I can't ok!" I pushed past him and went through the gates.

What have I done? I stopped and turned to face Zell

"When it's all over.........I'll tell you everything......"

It took like an hour to get to Balamb on foot but I made it. The

 place I knew as home, as a safe area, was like a long dark ally at 

night. You don't know anyone, you don't trust anyone, and you 

never know what's behind that big green dumpster. On Sundays 

Balamb is like deserted, it's all quiet and you'll see the odd person 

on the street so it's like those really, really old western movies 

when it's all quiet and weird. I walked the streets for a while then 

headed to my street.

Funny how a place can seem like home one minute and like a total 

new place the next.

I sat on the curb for like an hour and was about to go back when 

the jet black van turned the corner and stopped right in front of me.

"Hey Alex," my dad said with an evil smirk "Climb in..." I stepped 

into the van and again, so I wouldn't do anything stupid, Seifer was 

there still being held by a couple of guys.

"So...do you have it?" he asked as soon as we had started moving 

again.

"Yeah........I got it," I handed it over, "Ok you have what you want, 

now let Seifer go,"

"Hahaha, not so fast Alzera hun," he winked at me. "What about 

cutting the power?" I glared at him. If you could do damage with 

your eyes I'd have this place torn apart.

"Seifer first. You let Seifer off at this next stop and I'll do it, and 

don't call me Alzera," hmmmm if I could tear this place apart with 

my eyes, what would go first?

"Uh, no cut the power and I'll drop him off back here, you have 

until four PM today to cut the power, any longer and Seifer's gone,

 then when we do attack we'll kill off all your other friends, Zell, 

Squall, Rinoa....." how the hell did he know?

"No you won't, I'm not a complete idiot, you'll still need Seifer as a 

bargaining chip with Cid," Hehe, I'm so smart

"Ahhh, but that's the thing, you don't know that, I could kill him but 

the only way to find out is to come." Ok you have your gunblade

 just quickly draw it and stab this fucking asshole. As fast as 

humanly possible I reached for my gunblade and slashed my dad 

a crossed the chest. Blood covered his shirt.

"You little bitch!" he screamed and tried to hit me but I swung at his 

fist. He caught it! He caught and held my gunblade with his bare 

hand. Ok that was unexpected, so unexpected that I wasn't ready 

for when he pulled it out of my hand.

"Don't you know when you can't win you little bitch?" someone 

came up behind me and held my wrists, another person grabbed my ankles. No! I can't fight back! This is like.......this is like when 

Seifer beat me up, only I don't have Squall and Irvine here to save 

me.

The first punch came to my face, and just about broke my jaw. 

One good thing came out of it, It hurt my dad's hand! I think that's 

good......anyways. I bit hard down onto my tongue and there's that 

ever so familiar taste again. But it was just blood, just like what I 

was feeling was just pain. No biggie.

"Is that the best you can do? Pathetic." Ok maybe that was a bad 

move..... 

"Oh I've taught you well, ok then......" he stood back a bit, winded 

up his arm so to speak and......I pretty much collapsed except two 

people were holding me. The stomach/lower gut is the worst place 

to get punched really hard. Oh and did I mention I wasn't holding 

myself up?

"Not so tough now are ya?" he had a personal punching bag, and 

he didn't even care that it was his daughter, what a model father.

"Oh common, stop going easy on me," ok why don't I just shut up?

"Alex don't! He's gonna kill you!" Seifer was quickly quieted buy a 

punch to the stomach from the guy holding him.

"No he won't, he needs me for his little plan thingy," Wow, I said 

something useful for once.

"She's right man you can't beat her up too much," the guy holding 

me agreed,

"Yeah, why don't you just let them both go? If she doesn't cut the 

power then make her watch you kill her friends cause she didn't do 

what we asked," that was the guy holding Seifer. My dad looked 

really mad but it was a sensible plan.

"Fine, I'll let them both go, stop at the next street!" he yelled to the 

driver. Oh yeah, we were moving, I must have overlooked that little 

detail while I was getting the shit beaten outta me by my dad.

"I'll see you tonight and if the power isn't off when we invade then 

you'll watch each of your friends die slow and painful deaths." He 

turned away then came back with a punch to the stomach.

"See you later hun," he taunted as the door closed and the van 

left.

"Alex? You don't have to be all tough all the time, sure there's the 

pride thing, but then there's the am I gonna have health problem's 

thing." I was sitting on the curb hugging my stomach.

"....whatever, we need to get back and shut off the power." Seifer 

looked at me as if I had just said, "Let's go jump off a bridge and 

see how many times we bounce."

"Uh no, let's get back so we can tell Cid to prepare for a fight." 

Don't think so.

"No, I can't let anything else happen to the people I care about, or 

are friends with, were, or I'm gonna cut the power and you're not 

gonna say a thing." I tried to get up but fell back onto the sidewalk 

clutching my sides groaning

"You ok?" well at least he still sort of didn't care.

"I'll be fine lets get going," I got up, leaning on the wall and started 

walking, very slowly.

"Uh maybe we should take a cab."

"No, we have no money and I'm fine." I stood up straight biting my 

lip and took a real step.

"Ahhh!" after my legs collapsed from the sudden sense of pain, I 

found myself in Seifer's arms.

"Were talking a cab, on the garden's expense," he helped me back 

up and I leaned against a wall while he waved down a cab and 

helped me in. 

"Ok here's the story, you escaped somehow and found me in an

 ally in Balamb, I had just gotten beaten up by a gang that wanted 

my money, I wouldn't give it to them so they beat me up and took it 

anyway, then you found me." It was a convincing story and people 

wouldn't bug Seifer about how he escaped cause of the whole 

'mental damage' from the test.

"Alzera you can't just let them invade." Seifer why do you choose 

now to start caring about other things besides yourself?

"The SeeD's know what to do when attacked unexpectedly and I'm 

not letting them kill my uh......" did I consider them all my friends? 

Zell, definitely, Squall, yeah, why not, Rinoa....I guess so, she is 

Squall's girlfriend and I have to help Squall so yeah, Selphie, way 

over hyperactive but she's cool, Quistis um yeah and Irvine, well 

everyone else likes him except me and Selphie would go nuts if 

anything happened to him so I don't like him but I have to protect 

him too, and Seifer.........I almost got him killed, I have to help.

"Your what?"

"My friends........... and don't call me Alzera," we were almost there 

and I think the driver was ease dropping.

"Seifer? Uh.........thanks for uh, helping save me, even though I 

don't think it was worth it uh, thanks." Ok that was just lame.

"Um, I did what I had to."

We got out and headed for the gates, people pointed and stared at 

Seifer but he ignored them. Oh pain is not a good feeling when 

your trying to recover from previous attacks in the same spot.

"Ow, ow owowow shit," I stopped walking, I couldn't take it 

anymore. The pain was just too much.

"You ok?" he asked from where he was at.

"Yeah, I'm fine," ok that was soooo not the truth. I took a few steps 

and dropped to my knees.

"Uhhhhhhh, shit," why does it hurt so much? I can usually handle 

the pain but why not now?

"You gonna make it up to your dorm?" I held my stomach and 

rocked for a minute but then got up.

"Yeah," I forced myself to bare the pain all the way to the elevator. 

Then **_she came over_**

"You are never gonna be forgiven for what you did you know," that 

ditzy blond girl from the dance.

"Why are you smiling? You killed Seifer," well who wouldn't when 

the guy you supposedly killed is standing beside you.

"Oh, I'm dead? Oh jeez thanks for telling me, it would look pretty

 stupid walking around Balamb garden if your dead." Ok that was 

funny you have to admit, and the look on her face when she saw 

Seifer, never will I forget it.

"Hahahaha! Oh my god, that was sooo funny did u see the look on 

her face?" I was laughing and on the floor cause when I laughed it 

hurt my stomach but that was soooo funny!

Seifer helped me to my dorm where I cured myself and talked 

about where the main power would be at. We both had no idea.

Knock! 

"Alex?"

"Uh who is it?" um please don't be Zell,

"It's Quistis...." thank god "And Zell," oh jeez why do I even bother?

"Uh yeah?" I have a feeling I know what they want

"Can we com in? We need to talk to you,"

"Just a sec," I looked over at Seifer.

"Do you want them to know you're alive?" I asked in a whispered 

voice.

"If they do I'm gonna tell them what happened......." oh please don't 

do this..

"uh......um.....I uh......guess .......so." He nodded.

"Come in," I got up so I could hurry them in and shut the door.

"Seifer!" Quistis's eye lit up like lights "You're......you're alive!" he 

smiled at her,

"Last I heard."

"Seifer, Alex! What the hell happened to you two?" Quistis and Zell 

just stood there.

"Well......." Seifer looked at me. Oh jeez ok whatever.

"Eh, when I went to go clean out my house I came across my dad, 

and he said he had Seifer so I went with him and he told me to 

steal the fly chip and cut the power so he and a bunch of other 

Galbadian soldiers could invade. I brought the fly chip to them 

today and they let Seifer go but they still want the power cut for 

when they invade and if I don't I'll have to watch them kill you 

guy's, and, uh they're invading in an hour." oops.......

"How did you get that?" Zell asked about the bruise from when I 

got hit in the face.

"My dad uh......."

"Her dad pounded on her," Seifer always had a way with 

words.......

"Your dad did that to you? What about the black eye from earlier? 

Was that your dad too?" Quistis always worried about everybody 

except herself.

"Yeah," ok now I feel like a moron.

"He's not gonna touch you again!" Zell was getting really mad.

"We have to tell Cid......" that was Quistis

"No! No don't tell a soul! I'm gonna cut the power and what 

happens, happens."

"Alex, we can't not tell Cid, if he finds out that we knew we'll get 

expelled," Zell was agreeing with Quistis?

"I'm willing to take that risk, tell no one, not even Squall, now 

excuse me, I have to go and cut the power........"


	8. Before The Invasion...

**Chapter 8**

****

Ok, Seifer knows, Quistis knows, and Zell knows, too many 

people, and I think Quistis is gonna tell. If she does I'll hate her 

forever.....if she lives.

"Alex!" Oh, I snapped back to reality, Zell was with me looking for 

the main power source.

"Sorry, uh deep in thought," he had stopped walking

"I can't do this, I can't help Galbadia attack Balamb, now if you 

don't tell Cid what's going on, I will." Wow. I never knew Zell could 

be so serious.

"But he'll kill you, all of you, I can't let that happen." I kept walking.

"Stop worrying about individual people so much, worry about the 

garden as a whole, if we're prepared to fight, less people will die, 

why can't you see that?" Ok, why had I not thought of it that way?

"I.....he.....uhhhh!" I headed toward the elevator.

"You won't regret this." You say that now but when you're slowly 

being killed in front of me you'll take it all back.

"Ok, let me get this straight, in an hour or two Balamb garden 

is going to be attacked by Galbadian soldiers. We can't fly away 

cause you took the fly chip and gave it to them, you were going to 

cut the power leaving the garden defenceless and unprepared until 

it was too late and you decided to tell me now?" A vein in Cid's 

forehead that I've never noticed was about to pop.

"Uhhh....." I said looking away, "that's pretty much it...." he was 

about to start yelling but Zell interrupted him.

"Well....at least she told you, now you can prepare......." I am 

sooooo gonna get expelled for this.

"When this is all over.........." Cid was having a hard time not 

flipping on me.

"I'll just uh.......leave now." I basically ran outta his office leaving 

poor Zell there.

"Hi Alex!" Selphie! Oh thank you! I have to tell her.

"Selphie, were going to be attacked by Galbadian soldiers, get as 

many people ready as you can," she started at me blankly.

"Uh.....Wah?" Selphie you gotta believe me.....

"Attention, this is your headmaster, I just got news that Galbadia 

has planned an attack on Balamb garden, gather your weapons 

and be ready to fight. I want you all in your divisions in a half an 

hour," Everything was silent for a second then 

people all ran to there dorms.

"Squall! Get everybody and meet at my dorm!" Squall hesitated 

and was about to ask why but I was already running to my dorm.

I can't be scared anymore, I will kill him and as many other soldiers 

as I can.

I felt a fire ignite inside of me and with each passing minute the fire 

got bigger and bigger.

Take no prisoners, kill all.

The anger was an adrenalin and the urge to kill was getting 

stronger.

Knock!

"Alex, it's us," oh yeah, uh um 

"Come in," they all came in and sat around.

"So.......when are they coming?" Rinoa asked. Oh yeah, I hated 

her, but I don't care anymore.

"Soon," we all talked amongst ourselves when........

"Oh my god! They're hear!" Selphie looked out my window and 

army of Galbadian soldiers charged at the garden.

"Lets go," I will kill him, he will never leave here alive.

We were some of the last people to await our company at the 

gates, when we got there, Galbadia had already broken into the 

garden.

The elevator door opened, a girl, small, brown hair ran in and fell 

on Irvine, bullet holes in her chest. She stopped moving and Irvine 

gently laied her down.

I stepped out of the elevator and almost instantly was attacked by 

two soldiers. The first one came at me from the front with a sword, 

easily blocked. I knocked his sword out of his hand and stabbed 

him. I took all his magic and his bullet proof vest. Oh yeah, there 

was another one. He had a machine gun and shot me in the chest. 

The blow knocked me off my feet and I guess he thought he killed 

me cause he walked over to me. I tripped him and stabbed him. 

Wow, two dead in the first two minutes of battle.

The blood was everywhere, some people slipped on it, some 

people were covered and some people ignored it. You know the 

second guy I killed? Well I took his gun as well as his magic so I 

used both my gunblade and the machine gun.

"Help......" a faded voice cried out. I turned to find it and saw Jake, 

one of the guys that was with my dad. Oh and my dad saw him 

too, but I was closer.

I walked over to him, he had a slash in his gut and was bleeding 

uncontrollably.

Watch this dad.

I stood over Jake facing my dad who had a sword and was a few 

yards away. Raising my gunblade over the fallen soldier's heart I 

winked at my dad and plunged it deep into the body. Blood 

splattered everywhere, it even hit my dad who stood there and 

gaped in horror.

My dad was about to charge at me but was attacked by a few 

SeeD's and I lost sight of him.

The battle raged on and the odds weren't on the garden's good 

side, for every SeeD there were five Galbadian soldiers. The 

bodies were everywhere and it was getting harder and harder to 

fight without stepping on someone's face or something. And the 

number of people fighting was dropping dramatically.

"Alex!" Rinoa came running over to me her blue outfit now a purply 

brown from all the blood, she has been cut in the arm and stabbed 

in the stomach but not deep enough to stop fighting.

"Squall's been knocked out and I can't carry him by myself, I need 

help!" I couldn't stop fighting for something small like that.

"I can't, I'm fighting." Tears started welling up in her eyes

"But he'll die! Squall will die if we don't get him outta here!" but it's 

just another SeeD.....wait, Squall?

"I'm coming." I can't forget who I'm trying to protect.

When I found Squall his head was bleeding, he had been stabbed 

and shot in the stomach and his leg was twisted under him.

"Oh Squall......." anger raged inside me and clouded my judgment.

"Help me get him to the elevator and I'll be fine from there but 

hurry!" I lifted his upper body and Rinoa took his legs.

"Rinoa....." she looked over at me with a tear streaked, blood 

stained face, "Don't let him die...." the elevator doors closed and I 

was back in the battle.

"Ahhhh!" Selphie screamed when a soldier slashed at her arm.

Bamb, bamb, bambbambbamb! 

I fired repeatedly at the soldier. I must of hit him ten times before 

he hit the ground.

"Alex, thank you. Have you seen Irvine? I lost sight of him ten 

minutes ago?"

"No," I said coldly and left.

Where is he? Where is my dad!

I killed a couple more soldiers not really noticing the large gash in

 my leg. I noticed nothing, not the pain from my many cuts and 

bruises, not the sounds of screams and guns firing, not even the 

sound of my friends calling out to me, telling me to take five and 

bandage up. No, all I noticed was the tall figure that stood in front 

of me.

"Do you have a death wish Alzera?" he took out his gun and fired 

round after round at me. I kept backing up from the force but also 

kept trying to walk into the force. It took him till he was outta bullets 

to realize that if had a bullet proof vest on.

"Well that was smart." I got in a ready stance.

"Goodbye honey." He charged at me, swinging at my face and 

hitting the bridge of my nose, where I already had a scar. I dodged 

the next attack at my chest and stabbed his arm.

"Ahhhh!" Haha, what a loser, I think it's time to finish this.

He was off guard when I slashed at his stomach. A direct hit. He 

fell to the ground and I stood over him, gunblade directly above his 

heart. This is for you Nanny.

Just as I struck down a sword plunged through me from the back. I 

stopped in mid attack, stunned from the pain. The guy had pushed 

the sword as far into me as it would go then kicked me over. I 

landed face first and the sword went back through me.

"AHHHHHHH!" but I couldn't even feel the pain anymore. There 

was just too much of it.

"Thanks Keegan," but didn't I stab him? Eh.

"John, cure yourself and lets get going, Cid called help from Trabia 

garden and there isn't enough of us to fight." Really? Then I guess 

that means we won.

"Alright, Cure. Just hold on a sec, there's just one more thing I 

have to do before we go." I was still face down with a sword 

sticking out of my back. My dad walked up to me, grabbed a hold 

of the sword and twisted it in my back and left. I screeched at the 

pain, then my body went completely numb.

"They're retreating!" someone yelled. "We won! We won! There 

retreating!" a cheer rose up from the remaining SeeDs. We beat 

them, we beat them even though we were out numbered! 

Ooooooo, I feel so dizzy. I must be dying of blood loss. Oh well, at 

least I went out in battle, like a warrior. And I'll be remembered 

maybe as a hero. Maybe. Goodbye Zoro, don't take any shit from 

anyone. Oh jeez, I died a virgin, that wasn't in the original plan but

 ah well. Fading, the voices are getting farther and farther away.

"We need to check all the bodies, there's gonna be a lot of 

injured,"

 Voices, far away voices, too far away, can't yell, can't move.

"Oh my god!" Did they find me? "Zell!" Oh Zell, don't let Zell die, 

please. "Is he still breathing?!" I think that's Selphie. Hi Selphie.

"Yes, but he doesn't look to good," Quistis? Hi Quisty.

"I found Squall and Rinoa, there up in Squall's dorm, did you find 

Seifer or Zell?" was that Irvine? Yeah, but why bother saying hi if 

your gonna say bye soon anyway.

"We found Zell but no Seifer," Seifer? You didn't find Seifer? What 

if he's dead? Seifer! Please find Seifer, even if you don't find me.

"Uuh guys?.......what happened?" Who was that?

"Seifer! Where were you!" Thank you so much! Seifer, there all

 alive, now to.....rest.......

"I musta gotten knocked out outside cause that's where I woke up," 

so tired.....so sleepy........

"I'm going to see if Squall's ok, Trabia should be here with a bunch 

of medics," Selphie was leaving, so was everybody else.

"I'll carry Zell up." Goodbye now. I closed my eyes and all the 

noise stopped.

"She's lost a lot of blood, does anyone know her type?" my eyes 

fluttered open and closed.

"How's she doing?" Oohhhhh, my head.

"She's doing fine, but she hasn't woken up yet," huhhhhh? "Will 

you be staying hear a while as usual?" A doctor? Possible. Wait, 

staying a while?

"Yeah, yeah I am," Until I wake up? Aren't I awake?

"Who.....who's there?" oh and opening my eyes might help for the 

awakness part.

"Alex? Are you ok?" who is that? I can't hear all that well.

"It's Squall. Doctor? She's awake." Nawwwww really? Oh I can't 

focus on anything.

"Welcome back Alzera, how are you feeling?" Some woman in 

white came in with a clip board. Not the same one that I usually 

see when I go to the infirmary.

"Uh.......fine," still really dizzy but fine. "Squall? Didn't you break 

your leg?" 

"Yeah.....cast," Did you ever realize that Squall has a sexy smile? 

He never smiles but when he does it's like, wow. 

"Oh, that's gonna be ever so helpful in the training center," 

Sarcasm is my life, if I'm not sarcastic, I'm not me.

"Yeah," his brightened face turned to sadness when he looked 

over to the right of me.

"Squall? What is it?" I looked over and saw Zell, in a bed, with tube 

thingy's coming outta his nose and wrists. "Is.......he gonna be ok?"

 he was pretty beat up looking.

"They don't know, the first forty-eight hours are critical, it's been 

thirty six." Thirty six hours?!

"Uh....is anyone else hurt.....like outta....."

"No, just me, you, and Zell. Selphie, Rinoa, Irvine and Quistis just 

got a bit cut up and Seifer got knocked out," why was Squall 

scared? His voice was all......ya know, scared.

"Doctor? Can I leave?" I had to get up, I felt paralyzed just laying 

there.

"Are you kidding? You've been deeply cut in the calf, damaged ribs 

from too many shots to around the same spot and you had a sword through you. I really don't think so." Wrong answer.

"You can't make me stay here, what if I refuse?" I sat up, pain, 

pain, pain, pain, pain. Lip biting time.

"I'm going to leave, ok? And even if it's not I'm gonna do it anyway. 

Were are my clothes?"

I very slowly (15 minutes) got dressed and with a crutch walked 

around Trabia garden. When Cid called for help he also called for 

medical help, Trabia garden is now a hospital for SeeDs. But I 

don't like it here in Trabia Garden, so I'm gonna leave.

"Alex, wait up," Squall hobbled over from the infirmary.

"Yeah?" how pathetic but......meh

"Uh......Rinoa told me what you did yesterday, I uh wanted to thank 

you," was he blushing?

"Oh.....uh.....no prob, we're even now, you saved me, I saved you. 

Where are the others?" 

"Well, Quistis is gone to...identify bodies, and uh Selphie's with 

Irvine probably at her dorm and Rinoa is in the Balamb cafeteria I 

think," 

"Oh, so uh..........did a lot of SeeD's uh.....die?" Probably like one 

fourth or somethin like that.

"So far..............about half, maybe more, but we got half or more of 

the Galbadian soldiers." Wow, that's good

"Yes, Balamb so kicks ass," we both laughed at that.

"Are.....are all battles like that? Do that many people die every 

time?"

"Pretty much, that's why Balamb doesn't fight many large, whole 

garden battles like that," Why not? I never knew I could feel like 

that, I wanted to kill everything I saw but reverted it to the soldiers.

 It was fun. To kill was fun.

"Hmm.......well, I'm going over to Balamb, check on Zoro, come 

with?"

"Naw, I think I'll stay hear and wait for Zell to wake up." Meh 

whatever

"Ok, um call me, if he wakes up or something?"

"Kay, later," he hobbled back over to the infirmary.

Man Trabia garden is big, jeez this place makes Balamb look like a 

closet, a very small closet. Walking through the halls was like 

walking through a grave yard, all quiet and, dark so to speak. 

Everyone was so sad........but I wasn't, I wanted to battle again. 

The feel of invincibility was like a drug and I wanted more. Training 

center. 

I found my way out of Trabia garden, it was hard but I eventually 

asked for directions. Outside was worse then inside, stretchers 

were everywhere with SeeD's hooked up to life support, bodies 

covered the land around the two parked gardens, sheets over 

them. Poor Quistis, having to go and identify bodies. 

"Hey Alex, on your feet already?" Who?

"Oh, hi Irvine, yeah, can't hold me down when I'm conscious." After 

an experience like that you can't hate anybody that fought on your side.

"How's Selphie doing? Her arm got slashed up pretty bad," We 

started walking toward Balamb garden.

"She's outta fighting and the training center, really ,mad about that 

too, but she's fine,"

"That's uhhhh, good," man I am so not good at socializing

"Hehe, yeah, so um, how's Zell? Any changes?" 

"Not yet, he's been hit pretty bad, um, I'm going to the garden, you 

can....come if you want......." Last time.....I'll talk to Zoro, he 

probably won't want to come any....

"Sure, why not," we walked back into Balamb and ended up going 

to the cafeteria, talking with Selphie and having the rest of the so 

called gang join us, except Squall and Zell obviously.

"I'll go get some more hotdogs and another salad," Rinoa got up 

for like the tenth thousand time.

Can't say no to more food.

"Oh, hi Squall," You guessed it! Squall limped over to out table.

"...uh, hi..." Oh, very talkative.

"Come, join our grope of outcasts?" I invited very dramatically. 

That brought a smile to his sad face.

"Has Zell's condition improved?" Quistis asked

"Only time will tell." 


	9. An End Of A Journey

**Chapter 9**

****

It's been a week since the battle at Balamb, press and TV camera's have been in and out all week interviewing SeeD's, instructors and Cid about what happened. Big thing. Trabia garden left and most of the wounded are healed or getting treatment in their dorms. Zell still hasn't woken up and has been moved to our infirmary. Today is the funeral for all the dead SeeD's. I don't wanna go but I'm going anyway, it's the least I can do since they're dead. Hmmmmm whatever. Since it was a 'formal' so to speak occasion I wore my SeeD uniform along with all the other SeeD's. 

And of coarse, I get there late. All the seats were taken accept one at the very front in between Squall and Seifer. Yay. Oh well. But at the very front?

I finally made if up to the **_very front and listened to the priest._**

"Emily Mills, fourth year SeeD, together we pray. Sean Hanko A.K.A. 'Shanko' first year SeeD, together we pray. Diane Prills, fifth year instructor, together we pray." and it went on and on like that but that's how many people died, and most of them were freshman, well that's what I called them or people who weren't SeeD's but lived in Balamb garden and were able to fight.

It was really sad seeing all the families there just outta the blue start crying, some left some stayed, even Selphie, Quistis and Rinoa were crying. I can under stand Quistis cause she probably knew half the people who died but I guess it was that emotional. I didn't though.

"I'm gonna go to the cafeteria um.....you guys wanna come with?" you see, the cafeteria is like the local hang out in Balamb.

"Ok," so that's where we all headed.

We talked about stuff for a wile, me, Irvine, Squall and Seifer all argued about who killed the most soldiers, I think Irvine or I won cause Seifer got knocked out and Squall got really hurt so they both couldn't fight as long, I still say I killed more but whatever.

"I'll be right back you guys," I had to go get Zoro, ever since I brought her to Balamb I felt like I was neglecting her considering when **_I first came to Balamb I couldn't se her at all but....whatever._**

"Hey Zoro, wanna come with me? For a little walk?" I held out my arm and she hopped on and walked up it to perch on my shoulder.

"Good girl hears a cookie,"

I walked out of my dorm, Zoro perched firmly on my shoulder and saw that freaky blonde girl. The same freaky blonde girl that almost caused me to kill myself.

"Oh, it's you," I sneered, this would be fun.

"Uh, yeah it is, oh you what do you want?" she is such a freak

"Oh nothing just wanted to know if Seifer was dead, you can never be sure the way people are resurrecting lately," I gave her a really evil smile. "So is he?"

"Shut up!" she ran off crying. Wow, that was unexpected. Whatever.

"Hi guys, back oh and this is Zoro for all those who don't know," I put my had up to my shoulder do Zoro would climb onto it.

"You're aloud to have pets? I neva knew that, anyways, hi Zoro," Rinoa put her hand out to pat her and she jumped onto it.

"Well, nobody's said anything to me yet,"

So yeah, Zoro had her time in the spotlight for like a half an hour.

"Attention. Would Squall, Alex, Selphie, Seifer, Quistis and Rinoa please report to the infirmary, thank you." we all looked at each other with huh? Written all over out faces, then we ran to the infirmary.

"Uh, hi. Were uh hear," how pathetic

"Hello uh....." Cid was about to say more when Selphie interrupted.

"Has Zell's condition changed?" she had a worried look on her face, but so did Cid.

"That's why I called you all down hear. You all know Zell hasn't woken up yet since last week," we all nodded our heads to scared to say anything. I looked over at Selphie and her eyes were watering 

"Zell is in a coma," he looked away as he often did when he barred bad news. I didn't say anything but I walked over to his bed and sat in the chair next to him. It was Zell, tubes and all. Always so not lying down, ready to fight. Now, he was in a sleep like state that you couldn't wake up, for how long., who knows.

"Are you sure? H....he could just need more time," I looked over at Selphie. She had tears running down her face and was pacing

"Selphie, I'm sorry," Cid left, what a jerk, tells us our friend is half dead and walks away.

Zoro hopped off my shoulder and sat on Zell's chest. I just left her and started off into space. Millions of thoughts when threw my head. Stuff completely irrelevant like; what if I had payed more attention to my mom when she was alive? Why did Zoro jump on Zell? Then there were the questions like this; why didn't I stay with them, all of them instead of running off? How long will he be like this? Hehe, Zoro fell asleep on Zell's shoulder.

"Ah!" someone put their hand on my shoulder and brought me back into reality, a little too quickly.

"Alex, it's only me," Seifer sat down in the visitors chair next to me.

"Where did the others go?" When I looked at him, he was looking at Zell.

"Squall went to comfort Rinoa and Irvine went to comfort Selphie," and what? You get leftovers? Naw that's mean.

"Cool. Poor Zell, he musta gone out hard, I mean look at him," 

"Yeah, chickenwuss the hero," chickenwuss? Oh yeah, Seifer's pet name for Zell.

"Hehe, but you shouldn't call him that, he hates it," well he does......oh, like you've never seen him flip out when Seifer calls him chickenwuss.

"Meh," Oh isn't he the most understanding of peoples feelings.

"Oh very nice," hehe, he's such a jerk, but in the nice way.

"Yeah, um..I gotsta go, uh, see you at supper I guess." he got up 

and left, I stayed with Zell.

Every day after all my classes I came to see Zell hoping he'd wake up. He never did. I guess, things happen, deal with it. Hehe, but every day for an hour I went and talked to him, telling him about my day. And I brought Zoro too. Maybe in the subconscious world he could hear me ramble on about nothing and mock me. And maybe he'll get so tired of listening to me go on and on about useless junk that he'd wake up. Only time will tell.                


End file.
